The NFL announced today the high school football coaches nominated by the 32 NFL teams for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award. Representing the best at the high school level, these coaches were nominated for the national award, named for the winningest coach in NFL history, by NFL teams for their character and integrity, leadership and dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety and on-field success.
"High school football coaches serve as role models for young athletes and their impact goes well beyond the playing field," said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. "We are proud to honor this year's nominees who embody the character, integrity and spirit of Coach Shula. Their commitment to improving the lives of students and developing young men of character is commendable."
Don Shula Award nominees from all 32 NFL teams will be invited and recognized in special ways during the NFL's week-long celebration of football at the 2018 Pro Bowl in Orlando. The coaches will participate in a special coaches' clinic, enjoy a VIP visit to Pro Bowl practices and attend the USA Football National Conference.
Two finalists will each receive $15,000 from the NFL Foundation, $10,000 of which will go to their high school's football program. The Don Shula Award winner will be announced during the 2018 Pro Bowl, airing Sunday, Jan. 28 at 3 PM ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and simulcast on ABC. The winner will be recognized and walk the red carpet at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on Feb. 3, the eve of Super Bowl LII, at 9 PM (ET and PT) on NBC. NFL Honors will be taped earlier that evening at the Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
The winner is selected by a panel of distinguished individuals which includes:
- Pro Football Hall of Famer, Coach DON SHULA – the winningest coach in NFL history
- 2016 Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award Winner RANDY ALLEN
- Pro Football Hall of Fame PresidentDAVID BAKER
- Former Dallas Cowboys Personnel Director and NFL.com contributor GIL BRANDT
- Pro Football Hall of Famer, former Indianapolis Colts Coach and current NBC analyst TONY DUNGY
- Executive Director of USA Football SCOTT HALLENBECK
- 2x Super Bowl Champion (XLI, 50)PEYTON MANNING
- 3x Super Bowl Champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX)WILLIE MCGINEST
- Former Secretary of State, Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution and faculty member at the Stanford Graduate School of Business CONDOLEEZZA RICE
- Pro Football Hall of Famer, Super Bowl XLII Champion and Good Morning America correspondentMICHAEL STRAHAN
- Aplington-Parkersburg High School Principal and son of the school's late football coach, Ed Thomas, AARON THOMAS
Below is a full list of the 2017 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year nominees. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit nflfoundation.org or follow @NFLFoundation on Twitter.
| NOMINATING TEAM | SCHOOL NAME | COACH |
| Arizona Cardinals | Saguaro High School | Jason Mohns |
| Atlanta Falcons | North Gwinnett High School | Bill Stewart |
| Baltimore Ravens | Harford Technical High School | Timothy Palmer |
| Buffalo Bills | West Seneca West High School | Mike Vastola |
| Carolina Panthers | Clinton High School | Andrew Webb |
| Chicago Bears | Rochester High School | Derek Leonard |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Covington Catholic High School | Eddie Eviston |
| Cleveland Browns | Bay High School | Ron Rutt |
| Dallas Cowboys | Frisco Lone Star High School | Jeffrey Rayburn |
| Denver Broncos | Pueblo South High School | Ryan Goddard |
| Detroit Lions | Warren De La Salle Collegiate High School | Mike Giannone |
| Green Bay Packers | Kimberly High School | Steve Jones |
| Houston Texans | Oak Ridge High School | Brian Fitzgerald |
| Indianapolis Colts | Ben Davis High School | Mike Kirschner |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Bartram Trail High School | Darrell Sutherland |
| Kansas City Chiefs* (Missouri) | Staley High School | Phil Lite |
| Kansas City Chiefs* (Kansas) | DeSoto High School | Brian King |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Crenshaw High School | Robert Garrett |
| Los Angeles Rams | Mission Viejo High School | Bob Johnson |
| Miami Dolphins | American Heritage School | Pat Surtain |
| Minnesota Vikings | South St. Paul | Chad Sexauer |
| New England Patriots | Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School | Paul Funk |
| New Orleans Saints | West St. John High School | Brandon Walters |
| New York Giants | Newton High School | Matt Parzero |
| New York Jets | Franklin K. Lane Campus High School | Jason Mollison |
| Oakland Raiders | Kennedy High School | George Jackson |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Downington High School | Michael Matta |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Quaker Valley High School | Jerry Veshio |
| San Francisco 49ers | Gilroy High School | Jubenal Rodriquez |
| Seattle Seahawks | Royal High School | Wiley Allred |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Citrus High School | Nate Varnadore |
| Tennessee Titans | Brentwood Academy | Cody White |
| Washington Redskins | Dinwiddie High School | Billy Mills |
