The Miami Dolphins will conduct a virtual interview with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula on Friday. The move would make him the sixth candidate to interview with the team, though only former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has had an in-person interview.
Under NFL rules, coaches under contract with a team may not visit new teams for in-person discussions until January 19 or until their team is out of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Rams play the Chicago Bears on Sunday in the divisional round, with the winner advancing to the NFC Championship game on January 25.
Virtual interviews are allowed under the NFL’s rules, but the timing of each interview for playoff teams is regulated to allow the coach to focus first on the game to be played, then move to the interview. If a team advances to the Super Bowl, a coach who has completed a virtual interview can conduct an in-person meeting with a new team during the bye week before the championship game. According to the MMQB’s Albert Breer, Shula and several other Rams coaches are using today’s virtual interview window to meet with multiple teams.
Shula has interviews with the Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers scheduled for Friday.
First joining the Rams as an assistant linebackers coach in 2017, Shula has worked his way up to being named the team’s defensive coordinator in 2024. Prior to the Rams, he had a two-year stint with the San Diego Chargers as a defensive quality control coach following five years in the college ranks.
He is the grandson of Dolphins legendary head coach Don Shula. The elder Shula is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is the all-time winningest coach in league history. He spent 26 years with Miami, winning two Super Bowls and was named to the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Including his seven years as the Baltimore Colts head coach prior to joining Miami, Don won 347 games and was a four-time NFL Coach of the Year.
If the Dolphins were to name Chris as their new head coach, there would be an immediate tie to the history of the franchise – but it could also bring with it a lot of pressure to have the same success.
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