The Ravens have completed an interview with Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula for their head coach opening.
Here are five things to know about Shula:
Shula is a popular person on this year's coaching carousel.
Shula is just 39 years old, but he's been in the NFL since 2015, when he joined the Chargers as a defensive quality control coach. His climb up the coaching ranks has been quick, and he could be the next head coach plucked from Rams head coach Sean McVay's staff.
McVay's coaching tree includes current offensive-minded NFL head coaches Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals), Matt LeFleur (Green Bay Packers), Kevin O'Connell (Minnesota Vikings), and Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars). McVay's tree also includes defensive-minded former head coaches Raheem Morris and Brandon Staley.
The Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, and Miami Dolphins have all reportedly requested interviews with Shula.McVay said he gave a piece of advice to Shula and other assistants who were preparing for interviews.
"I think the most important thing is be yourself," McVay told reporters at his Monday press conference. "I think in some instances you can sometimes be so scripted that it's not natural.
"Sometimes when you get into the head coaching role, you just have this imaginary vision that you think you have to have all the answers and no, you don't. You can lean on other people."
He's part of a historic football family.
Shula's grandfather was Hall of Fame head coach Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history, who became coach of the Baltimore Colts at age 33 and led them to Super Bowl III.
He is the son of former Bengals head coach David Shula, who was also hired at age 33 by the Cincinnati Bengals.
For Chris to become a head coach while still in his 30s would be nothing new for the Shula family. He's been around NFL coaches since he was born and already has a Super Bowl ring as part of the Rams' staff (outside linebackers coach) that won Super Bowl LVI over the Bengals.
Shula believes in complex defenses that are simple to teach.
Shula learned early that it's important to teach concepts and schemes that players can learn quickly. He wants players to learn rapidly so they can play fast without thinking too much.
"It's a complex game that you've got to teach in simple terms," Shula said via Wyatt Miller of the Rams’ website.
In addition to the coaches in his family, Shula has been mentored by experienced NFL coaches Wade Phillips, Staley, and Morris. They recognized early that Shula was hungry to be a great coach and they are not surprised by his quick success.
"I couldn't think of a better person on the field, a better person off the field, a smarter guy, a guy that was really my right-hand man in coaching, and that's going way back to when I was a young coach," Morris said. "As much as he got from me, I got from him."
Shula was determined not to benefit off his family's name.
Early in his career, when introducing himself to other coaches, Shula wouldn't mention his last name.
"I almost didn't want to tell anybody," Shula told Zak Keefer of The Athletic. "I wouldn't necessarily lie about it, but I wouldn't be open about it, either.
"I never wanted to break into this business because of my last name."
McVay and Shula were college teammates at Miami (Ohio) – John Harbaugh's alma mater. At one point, Shula thought about going to grad school and becoming an athletic director, but coaching was simply in his blood. When McVay was hired as the Rams' head coach, he asked Shula to leave the Chargers' quality control department to become the Rams' assistant linebackers coach.
Shula has flourished with the Rams, but his next stop could be the head coach's chair for another team.
Shula has helped the Rams' defense withstand Aaron Donald's retirement.
Future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald retired after the 2023 season, and Shula took over as coordinator the next year. Shula knew Donald's departure would make the job more challenging, but he embraced that.
The Rams have made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, and they were fifth in defensive takeaways (26) this season. They have a strong defensive front led by outside linebackers Jared Verse and Byron Young, and defensive linemen Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner.
