Ad Disclosure
David Shaw, former Stanford head coach, will reportedly interview for NFL vacancy
By Paul Harvey
Published:
David Shaw spent over a decade leading the Stanford football program in the wake of Jim Harbaugh’s departure to the NFL (the first time). Now, Shaw himself is reportedly in the mix to interview for an NFL head coaching vacancy.
According to NFL reporter Jane Slater, Shaw is poised to interview for the New Orleans Saints head coaching job. Shaw last served as a head coach during the 2022 season at Stanford and was a personnel executive for the Denver Broncos in 2024.
As the head coach at Stanford, Shaw went 96-54 with a trio of Rose Bowl appearances and 2 Rose Bowl victories. He also won 10+ games 5 times. He is still the program’s all-time wins leader while also leading the program in bowl victories (5).
Stanford’s height of power under Shaw came from 2011-16 when he reached 10 wins in every season but one and appeared in 4 BCS/New Year’s Six bowls. In his final 4 seasons, the Cardinal never topped 4 wins while finishing 3-9 in back-to-back years to end his tenure.
While Shaw has never been a head coach in the NFL, the interest makes some sense. He does have a background in the league with stints for the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens early in his career. Shaw’s connections to Harbaugh are also clear.
Shaw originally joined Harbaugh’s coaching staff when Harbaugh was at San Diego. Shaw then became Harbaugh’s OC at Stanford in 2007, a role he held until Harbaugh left for the San Francisco 49ers after the 2010 season.
It’s possible those connections to Harbaugh, and Harbaugh’s success both with the 49ers and again this year with the Los Angeles Chargers, have some renewed interest in Shaw’s prospects as an NFL head coach. We’ll see if anything becomes of it for one of the best head coaches in Pac-12 history.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
