David Shaw (American football) facts for kids
| Detroit Lions | |
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| Position: | Passing game coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 31, 1972 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Union City (CA) Logan |
| College: | Stanford (1991–1994) |
| Career history | |
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| As executive: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Career: | NCAA: 96–54 (.640) Bowls: 5–3 (.625) |
David Lorenzo Shaw, born on July 31, 1972, is a well-known American football coach. He is currently the passing game coordinator for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he was the head coach for the Stanford Cardinal football team from 2011 to 2022.
Shaw also worked as the offensive coordinator at Stanford from 2007 to 2010, under head coach Jim Harbaugh. He played football for Stanford as a wide receiver from 1991 to 1994. His coaches then included Dennis Green and Bill Walsh. Before returning to Stanford, Shaw was an assistant coach in the NFL for teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens. In 2024, Shaw worked as a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos.
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David Shaw's Early Life and Playing Career
David Shaw was born in San Diego, California. His family moved a lot because his father, Willie, was also an NFL coach. David played high school football in Rochester Hills, Michigan, when his dad coached for the Detroit Lions.
In 1989, his father got a coaching job at Stanford University. The family moved back to California, and David finished high school at James Logan High School in Union City, California.
He then went to Stanford University for college. He played college football as a wide receiver. During his time from 1991 to 1994, he caught 57 passes for 664 yards and scored five touchdowns. Shaw also played on the Stanford men's basketball and track teams. He earned a degree in sociology in 1995.
David Shaw's NFL Coaching Experience
Shaw's coaching journey started at Western Washington University in 1995. In 1997, he began a nine-year period as an assistant coach in the NFL. He worked for the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens.
As the Raiders' quality control coach from 1998 to 2000, and then quarterbacks coach in 2001, the team won two AFC West titles. They also had a strong 10–6 regular season record.
Shaw was the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2002 to 2004. He also coached wide receivers for the Ravens from 2002 to 2005. In 2003, the team finished with a 10–6 record and won the AFC North. In 2005, Shaw helped wide receiver Derrick Mason achieve a Ravens record of 86 catches. He also guided Mark Clayton to a rookie record of 44 catches.
David Shaw's College Coaching Experience
In 2006, Shaw left the NFL to join head coach Jim Harbaugh's staff at the University of San Diego. He became their passing game coordinator. The team had a great 11–1 record. Their offense was top in the NCAA Division I-AA for passing, total offense, and scoring.
When Harbaugh became head coach at Stanford, Shaw's alma mater, in 2007, he brought Shaw along. Shaw became the offensive coordinator. During his time as an assistant coach, Shaw also coached Stanford's wide receivers and running backs.
Shaw's offense did very well during these years. They were led by Andrew Luck, who was a top player in 2010. The team scored at least 40 points in 11 different games with Shaw as coordinator. They set a school record with 461 points in 2009, and then broke it again with 524 points in 2010.
Even after a key player, Toby Gerhart, left in 2009, Stanford's running game was strong in 2010. Shaw took over as running backs coach that year. The team's running game was second in their conference and 17th nationally. They averaged over 213 yards per game.
David Shaw as Stanford's Head Coach
In January 2011, Shaw was promoted to head coach at Stanford. This happened after Jim Harbaugh left to coach the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Shaw was the first Stanford alumnus to be the head football coach since Paul Wiggin, who coached from 1980 to 1983.
In his first three seasons, Shaw led the team to three major bowl games. These included two Rose Bowls. Shaw led the team to a Rose Bowl win against Wisconsin. The team returned to the Rose Bowl the next year, but lost a close game to Michigan State.
After a rebuilding year in 2014, the 2015 season was very successful. Shaw led Stanford to their third Pac-12 championship in four years. This meant another Rose Bowl appearance, which they won 45–16 against the Iowa Hawkeyes. With this win, Shaw became the first Stanford coach in 80 years to win three conference titles. He was only the third coach ever in the program's history to do so. Winning the Rose Bowl made Shaw only the second Stanford coach to win two Rose Bowls.
In 2017, Stanford beat Cal in the Big Game. This win helped Shaw set a new Stanford record for most wins by a football head coach, with 72 wins. He broke the record previously held by Pop Warner. Shaw's record against Cal was 9–3.
After two difficult seasons with 3 wins and 9 losses each, Shaw resigned as head coach on November 27, 2022. This was right after Stanford's last game of the 2022 season.
David Shaw's Executive Career
On June 20, 2024, David Shaw was named the Senior Personnel Executive for the Denver Broncos. This role involves helping with player decisions for the team.
David Shaw's Personal Life
David Shaw is married to Kori, and they have three children.
His father, Willie, was also a football coach. He was an assistant coach at Stanford and for several NFL teams. Willie Shaw was considered for the head football coach position at Stanford in 1992.
David Shaw's Head Coaching Record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford Cardinal (Pac-12 Conference) (2011–2022) | |||||||||
| 2011 | Stanford | 11–2 | 8–1 | T–1st (North) | L Fiesta† | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2012 | Stanford | 12–2 | 8–1 | T–1st (North) | W Rose† | 6 | 7 | ||
| 2013 | Stanford | 11–3 | 7–2 | T–1st (North) | L Rose† | 10 | 11 | ||
| 2014 | Stanford | 8–5 | 5–4 | 2nd (North) | W Foster Farms | ||||
| 2015 | Stanford | 12–2 | 8–1 | 1st (North) | W Rose† | 3 | 3 | ||
| 2016 | Stanford | 10–3 | 6–3 | 3rd (North) | W Sun | 12 | 12 | ||
| 2017 | Stanford | 9–5 | 7–2 | T–1st (North) | L Alamo | 19 | 20 | ||
| 2018 | Stanford | 9–4 | 6–3 | 3rd (North) | W Sun | ||||
| 2019 | Stanford | 4–8 | 3–6 | T–5th (North) | |||||
| 2020 | Stanford | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3rd (North) | |||||
| 2021 | Stanford | 3–9 | 2–7 | 6th (North) | |||||
| 2022 | Stanford | 3–9 | 1–8 | T–11th | |||||
| Stanford: | 96–54 | 65–40 | |||||||
| Total: | 96–54 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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