No one coordinator has had a better start to the 2025 season than Chris Shula.

The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator has put together a unit that’s allowed just one touchdown in two weeks and the fewest points in the league over that span. The secondary is elite, too, and allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards this season.

Shula’s early-season performance is garnering attention as a potential head coaching candidate in 2026, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He named Shula among a group of three “up-and-coming defensive coordinators” who are “on the NFL league offices’ radar as a prime candidate” during the hiring cycle next spring.

Shula, 39, is only in his second season as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, but he’s been on head coach Sean McVay’s staff since 2017. He began as an assistant linebackers coach and also spent time as the team’s linebackers coach, pass game coordinator, defensive backs coach and pass rush coordinator.

McVay acolytes getting head coaching looks is not a new thing. There are several ex-McVay coordinators scattered throughout the head coaching ranks, like Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, Zac Taylor in Cincinnati, Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota and Raheem Morris in Atlanta. Former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley was once a head coach, too, but is now the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.

Shula also has a lot of coaching history in his family. He’s the son of former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Dave Shula and the grandson of the late Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.

We’re along ways away from teams looking for new head coaches, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see Shula take some interviews this offseason if the Rams’ defense continues to play at a high level.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams DC Chris Shula reportedly ‘a prime candidate’ for head-coaching job in 2026
Reporting by Tyler Greenawalt, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect