FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/29/17 NFL NAMES RANDY ALLEN OF HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL DON SHULA NFL HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR The NFL and the Dallas Cowboys announced today, Head Football Coach RANDY ALLEN of Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas is the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year. The award was created to honor exemplary high school football coaches who demonstrate a commitment to player health and safety, and the integrity, achievement and leadership exemplified by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula. The announcement was made during the 2017 Pro Bowl on ESPN. For the first time ever, all 32 Don Shula Award nominees were invited and recognized in special ways during the NFL’s week-long celebration of football at the Pro Bowl in Orlando. Nominated by the Dallas Cowboys, Coach Allen was one of two high school football coaches selected as finalists from a group of coaches nominated by NFL teams. As the national Shula Award Winner, Allen will receive $25,000 from the NFL Foundation, $15,000 of which will go to his high school’s football program. He will be a guest of the NFL during Super Bowl LI and walk the red carpet at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime special airing nationally on Feb. 4, the night before Super Bowl LI. "Randy is someone that I respect and admire greatly. He is a man who understands the fundamental responsibility of being a high school football coach—and that is to build character and shape young lives,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager JERRY JONES. “He teaches integrity and life lessons as well as he does the X’s and O’s, and he is very successful builder of character.” Allen has coached the Highland Park High School football team for 18 years and recently led the Scots to a 5A Division 1 Texas State Championship with a 16-7 victory over Temple High School. As one of the most recognized and winningest programs in the history of Texas high school football, this marks the Scots’ second state championship under Allen’s tenure. Allen previously coached current Detroit Lions quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD to a state championship in 2005 and currently coaches the grandchildren of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. His success on the field is rivaled by his dedication to building high-character student-athletes, with a focus on leadership and strong moral values. Allen is a teacher who uses his role as a coach to build boys into men and emphasizes the importance of sportsmanship and integrity to his team. The runner-up was Green Bay Packers nominee and Kimberly High School Head Football Coach STEVE JONES of Kimberly, Wisc. Jones will receive $15,000 from the NFL Foundation, $10,000 of which will go to his high school football program. All Shula Award nominees are active or retired high school football coaches nominated by NFL teams for their character and integrity, leadership and dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety and on-field success. Coach Allen was selected by a panel of distinguished individuals. New to the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award selection panel this year are two-time Super Bowl champion (XLI, 50) and five-time NFL MVP PEYTON MANNING, Super Bowl XLII champion and Good Morning America contributor MICHAEL STRAHAN and Pro Football Hall of Fame President DAVID BAKER. The selection panel also includes: Coach DON SHULA – the winningest coach in NFL history Former Dallas Cowboys Personnel Director and NFL.com contributor GIL BRANDT 2015 Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award Winner MICHAEL BURNETT Former Indianapolis Colts Coach and current NBC analyst TONY DUNGY Executive Director of USA Football SCOTT HALLENBECK Aplington-Parkersburg High School Principal and son of the school’s late football coach, Ed Thomas, AARON THOMAS Below is a full list of the 2016 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year nominees. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit nflfoundation.org or follow @NFLFoundation on Twitter. 2016 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Nominees NOMINATING TEAM SCHOOL NAME COACH Arizona Cardinals Perry High School Preston Jones Atlanta Falcons Tucker High School Bryan Lamar Baltimore Ravens Walkersville High School Joe Polce Buffalo Bills Dunkirk High School Mike Sarratori Carolina Panthers Hilton Head School Russel ‘BJ’ Payne Chicago Bears Peoria High School Tim Thornton Cincinnati Bengals St. Xavier High School Steve Specht Cleveland Browns Lorain High School Dave McFarland Dallas Cowboys Highland Park High School Randy Allen Denver Broncos Strasburg High School Jeff Giger Detroit Lions Benton Harbor High School Elliot Uzelac Green Bay Packers Kimberly High School Steve Jones Houston Texans Ebbert L. Furr High School Matthew Valmore Indianapolis Colts Westfield High School Jake Gilbert Jacksonville Jaguars Ponte Vedra High School Matthew Toblin Kansas City Chiefs* Grain Valley High School David Allie Blue Valley High School Eric Driskell Los Angeles Rams Narbonne High School Manuel Douglas Miami Dolphins Carol City High School Aubrey Hill Minnesota Vikings Minneapolis North High School Charles Adams New England Patriots Millis High School Dana Olson New Orleans Saints Edna Karr High School Brice Brown New York Giants Cardinal Hayes High School CJ O’Neill New York Jets Curtis High School Peter Gambardella Oakland Raiders California School for the Deaf Warren Keller Philadelphia Eagles Perkiomen Valley High School Rob Heist Pittsburgh Steelers Thomas Jefferson High School Bill Cherpak San Diego Chargers Madison High School Rick Jackson San Francisco 49ers Saint Francis High School Greg Calcagno Seattle Seahawks Tumwater High School Sid Otton Tampa Bay Buccaneers St. Petersburg High School Joe Fabrizio Tennessee Titans Whitehaven High School Rodney Saulsberry Washington Redskins Quantico Middle/High School Paul Roy *Indicates team has more than one nominee # # # About The NFL Foundation: The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on The NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org. Contact: Ana Blinder, NFL 212 450-2467 [email protected] .