Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — The Rams have promoted pass-rush coordinator and linebackers coach Chris Shula to defensive coordinator, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.
Shula replaces Raheem Morris, who served as the Rams’ defensive coordinator for three seasons before he was hired by the Falcons as their head coach. The Dolphins wanted to interview Shula for its defensive coordinator job, according to Schefter.
Shula has been with Rams head coach Sean McVay in Los Angeles since February 2017, when he was hired as a defensive assistant. He was a defensive quality control coach with the Chargers for two years before joining the Rams.
Shula and McVay were college teammates at Miami (Ohio) from 2004 to ’07.
The Rams’ defense, which lost several key defensive players last offseason including cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker Bobby Wagner, ranked 22nd in total DVOA in 2023.
Shula is the grandson of late Hall of Fame coach Don Shula. His father, David Shula, was the Bengals‘ head coach from 1992 to ’96.