A Shula Returns to Miami

As Don Shula closed out his legendary coaching career with the Miami Dolphins, Chris Shula would find himself at Hard Rock Stadium on most Sundays cheering on his famous grandfather and his team.

When the Los Angeles Rams face the Dolphins today, Chris Shula will be back at the stadium for the first time in his career as an NFL assistant coach.

"It means a lot," Chris Shula told Ram Digest publisher Eric Williams in an exclusive interview this week. "I coached against the Dolphins twice when I was in San Diego, but that didn’t really mean as much because they were both on the road. So this is my first time going back and actually coaching in that stadium, seeing his name up in the rafter and all of that stuff. So it’s exciting. It’s cool.

“I grew up there and went to Dolphins game pretty much every Sunday. So it’s definitely a cool sort of thing. I’m sure I’ll got out to the field when we get to the stadium, walk out on the field and have that experience. After that, it’s just a normal game."

Indeed, Shula was with the Chargers when the Dolphins played in San Diego in 2015 and 2016.

He's now in his fourth season with the Rams and had the chance to be in a Super Bowl in his second year with the organization.

Chris Shula is the son of David Shula, the former Dolphins assistant who later became head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals and part of the first-ever head-coaching matchup between a father and a son in the history of the four major professional sports in North America.

David Shula is in his third year as the wide receivers coach at Dartmouth after returning to coaching following a 22-year absence, during which time he worked for his father's steakhouse empire.

Chris Shula works for head coach who also has great football bloodlines, since Sean McVay is the grandson of former New York Giants head coach and 49ers executive John McVay.

Chris Shula and Sean McVay also were college teammates at Miami of Ohio, and got the chance to pick Don Shula's brain.

"Chris has been one of my closest friends in life for a long time," McVay sa. "I think the immediate connection between us just growing up in football families, we have so many similar life interests and playing together at Miami of Ohio. He's a great coach, great communicator. Going back down here, I mean, there's been some pretty special times that we have spent at his grandfather’s first house. That was really cool for me, just to be able to sit there and listen to his stories. He was such a great storyteller. He's so funny and had just such a great way about himself."

As for Chris, he obviously learned a lot of valuable lessons from his famous grandfather, who passed away in May at the age of 90.

"Just to be consistent and be disciplined with your profession," Chris said. "He always was kind of known as a real hard worker, somebody that took pride in how important coaching is and the impact that you can have on individuals. You can’t really say it in one breath, because it’s just ongoing and ongoing, the stories that you hear about him growing up there and talking with him.

"But something I always took with me was just the discipline and the amount of preparation it took to get ready for a game. You don’t cut corners, no matter who you are playing. Every single week is the most important game of the year. There’s a lot to cover and a lot to go over with your players, and that just what it takes to win."