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Will David Shaw finally make the jump to the NFL?

By Brad Berreman

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Head coach David Shaw of the Stanford Cardinal looks on against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter of an NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. Stanford won the game 23-13. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Head coach David Shaw of the Stanford Cardinal looks on against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter of an NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. Stanford won the game 23-13. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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David Shaw has consistently turned away NFL overtures, but is this the year he makes the jump?

The Washington Redskins were the first NFL team to fire their head coach this year, so they’ve gotten something of a head start on their search for a coach in 2020. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, they are interested in Stanford head coach David Shaw.

Shaw, who just completed his ninth season as head coach at his alma mater, is expected to be in heavy demand for NFL openings. The idea the NFL is interested in Shaw is nothing new, but it’s worth wondering if this is the year he’ll consider making the jump more than he ever has.

The Cardinal finished with a 4-8 record this season, as they failed earn bowl eligibility for the first time under Shaw. In fact, this is the team’s first year with less than eight wins under Shaw. On one side of the coin is the sentiment of not wanting to leave Stanford after a bad season, while leaving now when there will a lot of NFL teams interested sits opposite with an equally strong case.

Shaw spent nine seasons as an NFL assistant (1997-2005), with the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens. He has a common tie to the Raiders’ organization with Redskins head of football operations Bruce Allen, who is reportedly a big proponent of Shaw’s. Allen’s job status is starting to look shaky, but Washington owner Daniel Snyder’s desire for a splashy hire (Mike Tomlin?) may lead him to Shaw.

La Canfora named the Carolina Panthers as a team that will also be interested in Shaw, and there will be plenty of other teams with interest once Week 17 is in the books and head coaches around the league are fired. For someone with options, like Shaw if he wants to entertain them, the Redskins will fall down the list of desired coaching jobs.

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At times it has felt inevitable that Shaw will be an NFL head coach. This might be the year he makes the jump, with multiple teams looking for a fresh start and the list of proven options looking thin.

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