NEW YORK — Jan. 13, 2026 — The NFL announced today the 32 nominees for the 2025 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award, representing the best in coaching at the high school football level.
The coaches will be celebrated by their local NFL clubs for the prestigious award, which is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history. The coaches are judged based upon areas in which Coach Shula excelled during his career – character, integrity, leadership, dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety and on-field success.
“High school football coaches serve as leaders dedicated to shaping the lives of young high school players across the country every year,” said Roman Oben, NFL vice president of football development. “Don Shula was one of the games most celebrated coaches because of the people he impacted on and off the field. Today the NFL honors the 32 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year nominees, as each exemplifies the integrity, commitment and character of Coach Shula.”
The NFL will recognize one winner from each conference, AFC and NFC, to be announced the week prior to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games and Super Bowl LX. These two winners will be invited to attend the 2026 Pro Bowl Games and Super Bowl LX in the San Francisco Bay Area and will be recognized in special ways during the NFL’s week-long celebration of football. Throughout the week, coaches will receive VIP access and accommodation, including on-field access for the Pro Bowl Games on Tuesday, Feb. 3, a chance to interact with and engage with various members of the football community and attend Super Bowl LX as special guests of the NFL.
Jersey Mike’s, the presenting partner, and the NFL Foundation have teamed up to provide the two winners with a $15,000 award for their high school football programs and a $10,000 cash award. The other 30 club nominees will all receive a $1,000 cash award. The winners will also be recognized and walk the red carpet at NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, an Align Technology brand, on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 9 p.m. ET at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. NFL Honors will be televised on NBC and NFL Network, with streaming available on Peacock and NFL+.
“The 32 coaches nominated for the 2025 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award embody the values that make football such a powerful force in our communities — leadership, integrity and a commitment to shaping young lives,” said Alexia Gallagher, NFL VP of Philanthropy and Executive Director of the NFL Foundation. “The NFL Foundation is proud to support programs year-round that strengthen youth and high school football across the country, ensuring that the game continues to inspire and unite the next generation of players, coaches, and fans. Congratulations to all of this year’s incredible nominees for the difference they make in their communities every day.”
The Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year winners are selected by a panel of distinguished individuals:
- 2024 Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award AFC Winner John Hart
- 2024 Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award NFC Winner Bill Jacklin
- NFL analyst and former front office executive Scott Pioli
- Pro Football Hall of Famer and current ESPN contributor Peyton Manning
- Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and current NBC analyst Tony Dungy
- Executive Director of USA Football Scott Hallenbeck
- Former All-Pro cornerback & NFL consultant Bobby Taylor
- NFL Legend and NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson
- Aplington-Parkersburg High School Principal Aaron Thomas, son of the school’s late football coach, Ed Thomas
- NFL Legend, former NFL head coach, and son of the late Coach Shula Dave Shula
- Nike Brand Director of Grass Roots and Team Scott Henson
Below is a full list of the 2025 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year nominees. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit nflfoundation.org or follow @NFLFoundation on X.
| Nominating NFL Team | Coach | High School |
| Arizona Cardinals | Travis Dixon | Hamilton High School |
| Atlanta Falcons | Cap Burnett | North Clayton High School |
| Baltimore Ravens | Nick Burkhardt | Sparrows Point High School |
| Buffalo Bills | Chuck Nagel | Newfane High School |
| Carolina Panthers | Drew Marlowe | South Florence High School |
| Chicago Bears | Jeff Boyer | Byron High School |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Evan Dreyer | Anderson High School |
| Cleveland Browns | Justin Todd | Wadsworth High School |
| Dallas Cowboys | Lee Wiginton | Allen High School |
| Denver Broncos | Jeremiah Behrendsen | Dakota Ridge High School |
| Detroit Lions | Troy Schelke | Harbor Beach High School |
| Green Bay Packers | Jim Norris | Grafton High School |
| Houston Texans | Brian Randle | Randle High School |
| Indianapolis Colts | Kyle Ralph | New Palestine High School |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Steve Price | Ponte Vedra High School |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Rod Stallbaumer | Basehor-Linwood High School |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Rob Hummel | Spanish Springs High School |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Dylen Smith | Palisades Charter High School |
| Los Angeles Rams | Rick Clausen | Westlake High School |
| Miami Dolphins | Robert Ortega | McArthur High School |
| Minnesota Vikings | John Stewart | Spring Lake Park High School |
| New England Patriots | Derek Almeida | Fairhaven High School |
| New Orleans Saints | Brice Brown | Edna Karr High School |
| New York Giants | Dave Ettinger | Garden City High School |
| New York Jets | Vincenzo Donato | William C. Bryant High School |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Tim Quinn | Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Wayne Wade | Clairton High School |
| San Francisco 49ers | Kevin Collins | Abraham Lincoln High School |
| Seattle Seahawks | Monte Kohler | O’Dea High School |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | TaVaris Johnson | Lake Wales High School |
| Tennessee Titans | Charles Rathbone | Page High School |
| Washington Commanders | Kyle “KC” Landefeld | Clarksburg High School |
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Media Contact: Sam Drexler, NFL; Sam.Drexler@nfl.com
About Play Football
The NFL celebrates youth and high school football year-round. Through camps, activities, NFL FLAG and tackle leagues, the Play Football initiative provides a fun and engaging experience for players of all ages and skill levels, equipping young people with key life skills that are building blocks to success on and off the field. Play Football works to shape the football experience, advocate for safety, promote football values and connect football communities. For more information, featured football stories, best practices and resources aimed to create a positive playing experience, please visit PlayFootball.nfl.com or follow @PlayFootball. Join the conversation on social media using #PlayFootball.
About NFL Foundation
The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation and its members, the 32 NFL clubs, support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. Over the past half-century, the NFL Foundation has emerged as one of the leading philanthropic entities in America, contributing to NFL team communities, national and international disaster relief efforts, and societal issues. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.
