ENGLEWOOD, Colo — Former Stanford head coach David Shaw — one of college football’s most well-respected coaches during his tenure at the school from 2011-22 — has been hired by Denver Broncos general manager George Paton as a senior personnel executive, a source told 9NEWS.
It’s the second notable addition Paton has made to his personnel staff this offseason, with Shaw following the hiring of VP of Player Personnel Cody Rager in January. Shaw, who gives the Broncos an experienced and fresh set of eyes to evaluate both college and pro personnel, interviewed for the Broncos’ head coaching job in 2023 and has stayed in touch with Paton over the last year.
A former NFL assistant for nearly a decade, Shaw had drawn strong interest around the league since stepping down as the winningest coach in Stanford history following the 2022 season. The four-time Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year and 2017 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year interviewed for both the Titans’ and Chargers’ head coaching positions this offseason and has expressed a desire to return to the NFL in some capacity.
Now, Shaw moves to the personnel side of the football operations staff after more than 25 years as a college and pro coach. His experience figures to help the Broncos with their young roster and as a team in transition looking to snap the NFL’s second-longest playoff drought (8 years).
Shaw’s ties to the Broncos go beyond the connection struck with Paton during his 2023 head coaching interview.
Broncos’ owner and CEO Greg Penner, along with owners Carrie Walton Penner and Condoleezza Rice—who led Shaw’s head coaching interview with the team—have deep ties to Stanford and had close-up observations of the success he had at a school better known for its academic prowess.
The Penners, Greg with an MBA and Carrie with a master’s in education policy, received advanced degrees from Stanford and continued to invest in the university as proud alumni, while Rice is a long-time administrative educator and professor at the school.
Shaw, 51, was one of eight candidates who interviewed for the Broncos’ head coaching vacancy following the 2022 season. The job eventually went to Sean Payton, who also has a connection to Shaw.
Both Payton and Shaw coached together on the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive staff as assistants in 1997. Payton was the Eagles’ quarterback coach while Shaw was the team’s offensive quality control coach.
Shaw led Stanford to three consecutive BCS Games and posted records of 11-2, 12-2, 11-2, 8-5, 12-2, 10-3, 9-5 and 9-4 in his first eight seasons at the school. His 2015 team finished No. 3 in the country and six of his teams finished in the Top 20.
He also guided Stanford to Rose Bowl wins in 2012 and 2015.
Shaw ran a pro-style offense and carried himself in a dignified, poised and low-key manner. His approach translated into disciplined, resilient and well-executed Stanford teams that for eight years consistently beat more talented programs.
Still, Shaw stepped away on good terms as Stanford’s head coach following the 2022 season with plans of re-entering the NFL. He was an NFL assistant coach on the offensive side of the ball from 1997-2005, working for head coaches Ray Rhodes in Philadelphia, Jon Gruden in Oakland and Brian Billick in Baltimore.
He then joined Jim Harbaugh as passing game coordinator for the University of San Diego in 2006. Shaw followed Harbaugh to Stanford and became the Cardinal’s offensive coordinator from 2007-10.
When Harbaugh jumped to the NFL and San Francisco 49ers in 2011, Shaw took over Stanford’s program.
While national pundits have not been kind in grading the Broncos’ 2024 roster and handicapping their playoff odds, give Paton credit for adding two respected football minds to his staff this offseason.
Rager had worked nine years with the New Orleans Saints, where his college scouting acumen drew the favorable attention of Payton. And now Shaw is a highly qualified coach and talent evaluator who as a senior personnel executive will complement a staff Paton has publicly expressed confidence in this offseason.
It’s not the first time the Broncos have hired a successful former head coach to assist on the personnel side. The team hired Gary Kubiak in a similar capacity from 2017-18 after he stepped down as Broncos’ head coach a year after winning Super Bowl 50.
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