Rams DC Chris Shula’s family history and collaborative attitude put him on the coaching path at a young age

McVay had many reasons for hiring Chris. The two have a long history together, having played together in Miami (OH), and McVay brought in his former teammate as an assistant linebackers coach when he got the top job with the Rams in 2017. Since then, Chris has coached all three levels of the defense, becoming outside linebackers coach, then linebackers coach, defensive backs coach, defensive pass game coordinator and pass rush coordinator.

But beyond his extensive experience with the Rams’ defense, Chris values ​​working with not only coaches but also players. McVay appreciates that trait.

“My defensive philosophy is: It’s about the players,” Chris said in February.

“It’s hard not to like Chris Shula,” McVay said. “He’s the guy that everyone considers their best friend because he’s so present when he’s with you. He’s so authentic, he’s so refreshingly sure of himself, and he was ready for this opportunity.”

That welcoming nature has always been there because of his family, but it was amplified when he worked under former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. His joy and love for his day-to-day life was contagious, and Chris tries to approach each day with the same passion.

“Since I started coaching, I feel like I haven’t worked a day in my life,” said Chris.

Morris’s filmmaking skills rubbed off on him as well. His knowledge of not only the defense but also the opposing offense underscored the importance of preparation.

Former defensive coordinators Wade Phillips and Brandon Staley also had a big influence on Chris. He said of Phillips, “The genius was in the simplicity.” His coaches and players had autonomy, but constant communication kept everyone on the same page on game day. Staley, on the other hand, was more of an innovator. He loved to learn and was always aware of the latest trends in the league.

Chris has worked closely with all three predecessors and has incorporated some of their philosophies into his current term.

“Never be too stubborn to change your mind and surround yourself with really smart people,” Chris said, adding that his father and grandfather had practiced this and that he had done exactly that with every coach and player he had met.

“Guys who have earned their stripes, and you wouldn’t be very smart if you didn’t take advantage of their knowledge and get their opinion on things,” David said.

Despite David’s historic tenure, he decided to give up coaching after being fired by the Bengals in 1995. Instead, he focused on providing a stable environment for his children as they transitioned to middle school and high school while he took over management of Shula’s Steakhouse.

“We had a rough couple of years as a family when my dad was the head coach of the Bengals,” Chris said. “I know what a strain it can be on a family, moving and stuff.”

Luckily for Chris’ wife Jennifer and their children, he has spent his entire professional career in Southern California. When Chris got his first chance with the Chargers in 2015, it was Craig Aukerman, his former linebackers coach in Miami (OH), who recommended him to then-head coach Mike McCoy. He didn’t reveal Chris’ last name to McCoy until shortly before the interview when he handed him his resume.

Chris has now spent his entire nine-year NFL coaching career in the same place, and his wife feels like she is in “fantasy land” because of that stability, he said.

But coaching was always an option for him – David said he “never thought (Chris) would do anything else.” As a kid, he loved organizing neighborhood games and refused to participate unless there was a score to be kept. He would run around the Bengals’ training camp at Wilmington College, looking for the ball while he and his brothers joked around with the players.

As he grew older, Chris began studying the game, just as his father had. David arrived at the Dolphins’ facility earlier than his father when he was an assistant there, studying plays and tendencies in service of his ultimate goal: becoming a head coach, according to the New York Times.

That’s something his son wants, too, and his experiences at Miami, Ohio, have put him on the right path to achieve it. The “Cradle of Coaches” is a nickname given to the university because of its history of producing successful football coaches. That list includes, but is not limited to, Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, John Harbaugh, and of course, McVay.

“I knew he was going to be a coach when I watched him play,” Aukerman said of Chris. “He’s trustworthy, versatile and smart.”

McVay played for the RedHawks at the same time as Chris and Rams fullbacks coach Joe Coniglio. They were good friends who had big ambitions to succeed in the football world. All three began coaching shortly after their college careers ended and are now back together with the Rams.

“These guys were two steps ahead of a lot of their teammates,” Aukerman said. “They could communicate with the coaches and the coaches obviously trusted their opinion.”