The Chargers’ HC candidate list has expanded to 15 names. This now includes former Stanford coach David Shaw, who was in Los Angeles interviewing for the Bolts’ position Thursday.
Although Shaw has not coached in the NFL since 2005 and did not coach during the 2023 season, he spent 12 years as the Cardinal’s head coach. The Pac-12 program dismissed the successful HC following the 2022 campaign, but Shaw has still been on NFL radars. He interviewed with the Broncos last year.
NFL teams must interview two external minority candidates to comply with the Rooney Rule, but the Chargers had already done so by meeting with Leslie Frazier, Raiders DC Patrick Graham and 49ers DC Steve Wilks. Rams DC Raheem Morris is set to interview with the Bolts on Friday, while Lions DC Aaron Glenn received an interview request as well. Shaw is the sixth Black candidate to either meet with the Bolts or receive a slip.
Shaw, 51, is a San Diego native who coached in the NFL — with the Eagles, Raiders and Ravens — from 1997-2005. Shaw spent four seasons in Baltimore before becoming a Jim Harbaugh assistant at the University of San Diego and then Stanford. After Harbaugh left for the 49ers, Shaw took over in Palo Alto and went 96-54, coaching superstars Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey. Shaw’s pro-style offense has attracted NFL interest in the past.
Courtesy of PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Chargers’ search looks as of Thursday afternoon:
- Bill Belichick, former head coach (Patriots): Rumored candidate
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/16
- Leslie Frazier, former defensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/14
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/11
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 1/15-16
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/20; mutual interest?
- Mike Macdonald, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/13
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/12
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): To interview 1/19
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/9
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): To interview 1/19
- David Shaw, former head coach (Stanford): Interviewed 1/18
- Giff Smith, interim head coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/9
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): To interview 1/18
- Steve Wilks, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/13
It’s well worth a team’s time to interview as many candidates as they can.
15 interviews = 15 free scouting reports of your team.
It’s like hiring high end consultants for free if you just bother to take the time. Why not do it?
Plus, you never know who will surprise in an interview. People often think a guy has to be an uber-successful coordinator to succeed as a head coach, which is not necessarily true. I would conduct an expansive search, also.
…to meet the Rooney Rule criteria
Leslie Frazier is going to get free meals every January for the next decade with the Rooney rule and no interviewing assistant of active playoff teams.
I really like that they’re casting such a wide net and having so many interviews
NOOOOOOO………they don’t need a coach who is mired in 1940’s offense.