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Defensive Coordinator · LAR

Chris Shula — Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator

Chris Shula — Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator

Defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.

Quick Facts

  • Role: Defensive Coordinator
  • Team: Los Angeles Rams (LAR)
  • Name: Chris Shula
  • Philosophy: Player-centric coordinator who avoids constraining elite talent to rigid roles
  • Coaching tree: see Coaching Trees

Background

Chris Shula is a defensive-minded coordinator known for a flexible, player-first approach. He values "great people" and experienced veterans in the building, believing diverse experiences and perspectives strengthen the entire unit. Shula has the coaching acumen to manage elite pass rushers and defensive backs without forcing them into uncomfortable roles. He believes in learning from veterans like Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson, using their expertise to elevate the entire defense.

Shula's 2025 season showed promise despite not culminating in a Super Bowl: the defense improved from allowing 22.2 PPG (17th place) to 20.4 PPG (10th place). He transformed the unit from a passive, preventive approach to one featuring aggressive blitzing, stunts, and confusing personnel packages—all on a relatively tight budget. For 2026, the Rams nearly doubled their defensive spending, providing Shula with premium cornerbacks (McDuffie) and an elite edge rusher (Garrett) to implement his scheme. Shula is viewed as a legitimate head-coaching candidate if the Rams defense finishes strong in 2026 and achieves top-10 defensive performance. (per Rams DC Chris Shula must prove to NFL teams that he is head coach worthy in 2026)

Scheme and Tendencies

Shula oversees a defensive scheme that capitalizes on elite pass-rush talent paired with strong coverage in the secondary. He uses flexibility in front seven alignment — willing to move elite edge rushers to different positions to maximize their strengths rather than forcing them into defined slots. With Myles Garrett, he's demonstrated willingness to experiment with alignment during OTAs to find the optimal setup for both the player and the defense. Shula has upgraded the secondary with experienced vets (Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson), emphasizing pass coverage and discipline. The defense is structured to free up elite rushers like Garrett to dictate double-teams and create pressure, which then benefits the secondary by shortening time on coverage. Fantasy implication: Garrett's sack opportunities should increase in a well-constructed scheme that doesn't constrain him.

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