NFL creates "The Coach Shula Award" to recognize leadership values

by David Fucillo on Jan 31, 2010 7:08 PM PST in San Francisco 49ers News

The NFL announced over the weekend that they've created "The Coach Shula Award," which will honor each NFL season a football coach that displays the integrity, achievement, and positive impact on others exemplified by the winningest coach in NFL history. Commissioner Goodell and Don Shula will formulate a nomination process and panel that will select the annual winner of "The Coach Shula Award." Nominees can be NFL coaches or coaches at any level of football that have displayed the qualities represented by Don Shula. A timetable for the selection and announcement of the initial winner of "The Coach Shula Award" will be determined after the Super Bowl.

The award is a bit odd in that it's not a coach of the year type of award, but rather an award for what appears to be being a good guy as head coach. It sounds like you could potentially have high school and college coaches winning this award in the right circumstances.

I don't know if he'll get nominated, but in light of the Pro Bowl and Vernon Davis making his first appearance, is it reasonable to think Coach Singletary deserves some consideration for this? Or am I making too big a deal out of his influence in Vernon Davis basically turning around his NFL career? It sounds like it is looking at the coach's impact on society, so maybe I'm thinking too narrowly on this.

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Perhaps it is meant to be an "anti Bill Belichick" award.

by Vertigo on Jan 31, 2010 7:50 PM PST reply actions

I hink if it something they do for this season, Singletary could very well be the WINNAR.

I also look at coaches like Sparano (Miami), Lewis in Cincy, Colts HC, Phillips in Dallas, Cable in Oakland as well.

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by rlott#42 on Jan 31, 2010 7:55 PM PST reply actions

haha you lost me at Cable in Oakland....

I think punching other coaches would/should disqualify you from this award lol

by sanfranfanmdk on Feb 1, 2010 10:28 AM PST up reply actions

Singletary seems to have a talent for taking underacheivers

and transforming them.

VD
Franklin (so-so NT until Sing took over last season when he kind of took off)
Alex Smith (went from “bust” status to at least an average QB in the league)
Taking a 6th round draft pick (Josh Morgan) and turning him into a solid, if unspectacular player in the NFL.

Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.

by smileyman on Jan 31, 2010 9:30 PM PST reply actions

You’re opening a big can of worms suggesting that Smith is average. The funny thing though is that if Smith played in the AFC he might of been in the Pro-Bowl today. Don’t know if that says more about Smith or the Pro-Bowl.

by Hoopers Judge on Feb 1, 2010 1:22 AM PST up reply actions

Probably the NFC too

with the way McNabb was stinking up the place lol

by sanfranfanmdk on Feb 1, 2010 10:30 AM PST up reply actions

If Garrard can make it to the pro-bowl

Alex can

Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.

by smileyman on Feb 1, 2010 1:48 PM PST up reply actions

How about a Bill Walsh award.

He changed how the game is played… I believe his west coast offense created all defensive schemes we see today. The NFL is east coast bias and will never recognize the 49ers franchise as one of the elites unless an NFL office is established in the west coast.

Joe and Steve were under the same system for years... don't expect Smith to be super so soon.

by bayboy on Feb 1, 2010 9:19 AM PST reply actions