Chris Shula, the grandson of Don Shula, will be Rams’ DC

Chris Shula, the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, will be the Los Angeles Rams‘ new defensive coordinator, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team had not yet announced the move.

Chris Shula replaces Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who was hired as the Atlanta Falcons‘ head coach.

Chris Shula and Sean McVay were teammates at Miami of Ohio during their playing days, and Shula has been an assistant to McVay since the head coach’s first year with the Rams in 2017. Shula even lived in McVay’s house when the two first moved to the West Coast.

The 37-year-old Shula has coached Los Angeles’ linebackers in various capacities for most of his tenure. He added the title of pass game coordinator in 2022.

Shula is the son of former Cincinnati Bengals coach Dave Shula. His grandfather, who died in 2020, became the winningest head coach in NFL history during his tenures with the Baltimore Colts and the Miami Dolphins.

McVay interviewed several candidates for the vacancy left by Morris, but elected to stick with the longest-tenured member of his coaching staff. The Rams must make several additional hires after losing five assistants, including quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson and defensive line coach Eric Henderson.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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