NFL Announced Nominees for 2024 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award

The NFL announced today the 32 nominees for the 2024 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 named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history. The coaches were judged based upon characteristics and character traits Coach Shula exhibited 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 game’s 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 the region near an NFL club in each conference, AFC and NFC. These two winners will be invited to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 2, 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 accommodations to attend the Pro Bowl Games practices for both conferences, on-field access on Sunday for the culmination of the Pro Bowl Games, and a chance to interact and engage with various members of the football community.

The NFL Foundation and Nike have teamed up to provide the two winners 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 two winners will also attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans as special guests of the NFL. The Don Shula Award winners will be announced in the week prior to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, televised on Sunday, Feb. 2, from 3-6 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes. The winners will also be recognized and walk the red carpet at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 9 p.m. ET on FOX. 

The Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year winners are selected by a panel of distinguished individuals:

• 2023 Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award AFC Winner Andy Lowry
• 2023 Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award NFC Winner Shane Fairfield
• 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 and NFL consultant Bobby Taylor
• NFL Legend and NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson
• 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 2024 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.

*High School Girls Flag