NFL announces 2025 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year nominees

Nominees were selected by each of the 32 NFL teams

Anderson head coach Evan Dreyer leads his team on the field before their OHSAA Division II state championship game in Canton, Ohio, on Dec. 4, 2025. Dreyer was one of 32 coaches nominated for the 2025 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year award. / Tony Tribble for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL announced the nominees for the 2025 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award on Wednesday.

Coaches were selected by each of the 32 NFL teams. The award is named after the late Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history who guided the Miami Dolphins in back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the 1970s.

The nominated coaches are “judged based upon areas in which Coach Shula excelled during his career,” noted in a release, including “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.”

There will be an AFC and NFC award recipient. Each winner will be announced a week before the 2026 Pro Bowl Games and Super Bowl LX.

The NFL Foundation and Jersey Mike’s will provide the winners with a $15,000 award for their high school programs and a $10,000 cash prize. The rest of the nominees will each receive a $1,000 award.

“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 Vice President 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.”

Below are the high school coaches nominated for the award:

AFC 

Baltimore Ravens – Nick Burkhardt, Sparrows Point HS (MD)

Buffalo Bills – Chuck Nagel, Newfane HS (NY)

Cincinnati Bengals – Evan Dreyer, Anderson HS (OH)

Cleveland Browns – Justin Todd, Wadsworth HS (OH)

Denver Broncos – Jeremiah Behrendsen, Dakota Ridge HS (CO)

Houston Texans – Brian Randle, Randle High School (TX)

Indianapolis Colts – Kyle Ralph, New Palestine HS (IN)

Jacksonville Jaguars – Steve Price, Ponte Vedra HS (FL)

Kansas City Chiefs – Rod Stallbaumer, Basehor-Linwood HS (KS)

Las Vegas Raiders – Rob Hummel, Spanish Springs HS (NV)

Los Angeles Rams – Dylen Smith, Palisades Charter HS (CA)

Miami Dolphins – Robert Ortega, McArthur HS (FL)

New England Patriots – Derek Almeida, Fairhaven HS (MA)

New York Jets – Vincenzo Donato, William C. Bryant HS (NY)

Pittsburgh Steelers – Wayne Wade, Clairton HS (PA)

Tennessee Titans – Charles Rathbone, Page HS (TN)

NFC

Arizona Cardinals – Travis Dixon, Hamilton HS (AZ)

Atlanta Falcons – Cap Burnett, North Clayton HS (GA)

Carolina Panthers – Drew Marlowe, South Florence HS (SC)

Chicago Bears – Jeff Boyer, Byron HS (IL)

Dallas Cowboys – Lee Wiginton, Allen HS (TX)

Detroit Lions – Troy Schelke, Harbor Beach HS (MI)

Green Bay Packers – Jim Norris, Grafton HS (WI)

Los Angeles Rams – Rick Clausen, Westlake HS (CA)

Minnesota Vikings – John Stewart, Spring Lake Park (MN)

New Orleans Saints – Brice Brown, Edna Karr HS (LA)

New York Giants – Dave Ettinger, Garden City HS (NY)

Philadelphia Eagles – Tim Quinn, Gwynedd Mercy Academy HS (PA)

San Francisco 49ers – Kevin Collins, Abraham Lincoln HS (CA)

Seattle Seahawks – Monte Kohler, O’Dea HS (WA)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – TaVaris Johnson, Lake Wales HS (FL)

Washington Commanders – Kyle “KC” Landefeld, Clarksburg HS (MD)

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