Pine-Richland head football coach Jon LeDonne is the Pittsburgh Steelers' nominee for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award, representing the best in coaching at the high school level.
The 32 nominated coaches are recognized by their local NFL club for the prestigious award, named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history. The coaches were judged based on areas Coach Shula excelled at most during his career: character, integrity, leadership, dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety, and on-field success.
"I am honored to be a nominee for the Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year," said LeDonne. "It takes a village to achieve the success that we have achieved this year, and I am grateful for all those I have worked alongside this past year, both on and off the football field. My nomination further fills me with a strong sense of pride for our Pine-Richland community."
In his first season with Pine-Richland, LeDonne turned the Rams around after a rocky 1-3 start, leading them to the Class 5A PIAA State Championship, where they defeated Imhotep Charter 28-14.
The Pittsburgh Steelers named LeDonne their High School Coach of the Week following Pine-Richland's upset of North Allegheny. LeDonne was also named the Steelers High School Coach of the Year. He is the third Pennsylvania coach to win a state title with two different schools.
The NFL will recognize two winners, one each from the AFC and NFC conferences. These two winners will be invited to the Pro Bowl Games in Las Vegas on February 5 and will be recognized in special ways during the NFL’s week-long celebration of football. Throughout the week, coaches will receive VIP access and accommodations to attend the Pro Bowl Games practices for both AFC and NFC teams, on-field access at Sunday’s Pro Bowl Games, and a chance to interact and engage with various members of the football community.
The NFL Foundation and Nike have teamed up to provide the two winners with a $15,000 award to their high school football programs and a $10,000 cash award. They will also attend Super Bowl LVII in Arizona as special guests of the NFL. The other 30 club nominees will all receive a $1,000 cash award. The Don Shula Award winners will be announced in the week prior to the Pro Bowl Games. Winners will also be recognized and walk the red carpet at the 12th annual NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special that will air nationally on February 9 at 9:00 pm ET on FOX.
