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Jonathan Cooley
Los Angeles Rams

Jonathan Cooley '11, 14G and Chris Shula Set to Rep JCU in Super Bowl LVI

| By: Luke Potosky, Senior Staff Writer
This marks the 26th Super Bowl in 56 years with at least one representative from John Carroll University. 
LOS ANGELES -- The presence of John Carroll University on the National Football League's biggest stage has become pervasive & traditional, especially in recent years. And with that being said, the Blue & Gold will be represented once more in Super Bowl LVI.

Jonathan Cooley '11, '14G and Chris Shula will represent the Blue Streaks as coaches of the Los Angeles Rams, who will play Super Bowl LVI at their home: SoFi Stadium.

Cooley is in his second season with the Rams and holds the position of assistant secondary coach. Shula, on the other hand, is in his fifth season with the Rams and is in his first year as linebackers coach.

For both Cooley and Shula, this will be their first time appearing in a Super Bowl.

However, this is not the first time a Ram with JCU ties has had the chance to win a championship in the NFL.

In 2000, former star Blue Streak linebacker London Fletcher '97 won Super Bowl XXXIV with the St. Louis Rams and registered 11 total tackles in the game. Two years later, he would fall in Super Bowl XXXVI to the Patriots, who had two personnel assistants by the names of Nick Caserio '98 and Josh McDaniels '99.

Cooley's ties to University Heights date back to 2007 when he enrolled at JCU. He started at defensive back for three years from 2008-2010 and was a four-year letter winner for the Blue Streaks.

After two years of being an assistant coach at Millikin University and Bluffton University, Cooley returned to John Carroll for the 2013 and 2014 seasons as a secondary coach. In the process, he earned his master's degree in business administration. In both seasons, the Blue & Gold defense would rank in the top ten nationally.

Then, after stints at the University of Kentucky, the University of Chattanooga (with former JCU head coach Tom Arth '03), Kent State University, and the University of Akron, Cooley was selected by the NFL for a 2019 Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Los Angeles Rams.

From there, the Rams hired him as a defensive assistant to begin the 2020 season, then transitioned him to an assistant secondary coach starting this year.

Cooley spoke with the Columbus Dispatch this past week, saying, "It's been great, we had an opportunity to host the NFC Championship and when we beat Tampa Bay, we knew we wouldn't have to get on a plane anymore. Now having the Super Bowl here in our home stadium is really incredible, it's a dream come true."

As for Chris Shula, the last name certainly looks familiar. Indeed, he is the grandson of Don Shula '51, '73H. Chris played football at Miami University (OH) and was teammates with current LA Rams head coach Sean McVay.

After college, he had coaching stays at Ball State and Indiana, before being hired by JCU as its new defensive coordinator in 2014 to replace current Chargers head coach Brandon Staley who left for James Madison University (and would soon return).

Shula's stay in University Heights was short, sweet, and successful. The Blue Streaks made it to the national quarterfinals that season and finished with a top ten scoring defense. Cooley, as previously mentioned, was part of this staff as well.

After just one season with the Blue & Gold, Shula donned a different shade of Blue & Gold as the Los Angeles Chargers hired him as a defensive quality control coach. Then, Shula's former teammate McVay came calling back with an assistant coaching position on his staff with the Rams; a role that has turned him into their linebackers coach after five seasons with the team.

McVay offered high praise for Chris in a Super Bowl media day press conference, saying, "Chris' passion for the game, his [learning] capacity, his ability to lead & communicate with players and help them reach their highest potential makes him a phenomenal coach." He added, "I've just been so grateful to be able to work side-by-side with Chris since we got here; I lean heavily on him, he's been a really great coach, and he's been a really instrumental part of our success on the defensive side of the ball."

Now, looking at the numbers, Super Bowl LVI will add another chapter to JCU's presence in America's biggest sporting event.

Cooley and Shula will become the 67th and 68th instances where Blue Streaks will participate in the Super Bowl and the 23rd and 24th unique individuals from the University to be present in "The Big Game" over the last 56 years.

This marks the 26th Super Bowl in 56 years with at least one representative from John Carroll University, including six straight years of at least two JCU representatives spanning from Super Bowl LI in 2017 until now.

In all games, Blue Streaks hold an overall record of 40-26, though there have been three matchups over the years that featured familiar faces on both sidelines (Super Bowl XLVII '13, Super Bowl LI '17, Super Bowl LV '21).

No matter the result on Sunday, February 13, two fresh faces with Blue Streak linkages will savor this potentially once-in-a-lifetime moment.

John Carroll University in the Super Bowl

III: Don Shula '51 (Baltimore Colts, Head Coach)
VI: Don Shula '51 (Miami Dolphins, Head Coach), Carl Taseff '51 (Miami Dolphins, Assistant Coach - Offensive Backs), Sil Cornachione '51 (Miami Dolphins, Front Office/Scout)
VII: Don Shula '51 (Miami Dolphins, Head Coach), Carl Taseff '51 (Miami Dolphins, Assistant Coach - Offensive Backs), Sil Cornachione '51 (Miami Dolphins, Front Office/Scout)
VIII: Don Shula '51 (Miami Dolphins, Head Coach), Carl Taseff '51 (Miami Dolphins, Assistant Coach - Offensive Backs), Sil Cornachione '51 (Miami Dolphins, Front Office/Scout)
XIII: Dick Walker '55 (Pittsburgh Steelers, Assistant Coach - Defensive Backs)
XIV: Dick Walker '55 (Pittsburgh Steelers, Assistant Coach - Defensive Backs)
XVII: Don Shula '51 (Miami Dolphins, Head Coach), Carl Taseff '51 (Miami Dolphins, Assistant Coach - Offensive Backs & Special Teams)
XIX: Don Shula '51 (Miami Dolphins, Head Coach), Carl Taseff '51 (Miami Dolphins, Assistant Coach - Offensive Backs)
XXIX: Chuck Priefer '63 (San Diego Chargers, Assistant Coach - Special Teams)
XXXIV: London Fletcher '98 (St. Louis Rams, Starting Middle Linebacker)
XXXV: Pat Moriarty '93G (Baltimore Ravens, Chief Financial Officer)
XXXVI: London Fletcher '98 (St. Louis Rams, Starting Middle Linebacker), Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Personnel Assistant), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Personnel Assistant)
XXXVIII: Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Area Scout), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Defensive Assistant Coach)
XXXIX: Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Director of Pro Personnel), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach - Quarterbacks)
XLI: Chris Polian '93 (Indianapolis Colts, Vice President of Football Operations), Tom Telesco '95 (Indianapolis Colts, Director of Player Personnel), David Caldwell '96 (Indianapolis Colts, Western Regional Scout)
XLII: Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
XLIV: Chris Polian '93 (Indianapolis Colts, Vice President of Football Operations), Tom Telesco '95 (Indianapolis Colts, Director of Player Personnel)
XLVI: Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Director of Player Personnel), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
XLVII: Pat Moriarty '93G (Baltimore Ravens, Senior Vice President of Football Administration), Greg Roman '95 (San Francisco 49ers, Assistant Coach - Offensive Coordinator)
XLIX:  Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Director of Player Personnel), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Jerry Schuplinski '99, '02G (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach), Dave Ziegler '01, '07G (New England Patriots, Director of Pro Scouting)
LI:  Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Director of Player Personnel), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Jerry Schuplinski '99, '02G (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach - Quarterbacks), Dave Ziegler '01, '07G (New England Patriots, Director of Pro Scouting), Nick Caley '06 (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach), Frank Ross '12 (New England Patriots, Pro Scout), D.J. Debick '13 (New England Patriots, Scouting Assistant), Jesse Ackerman '02, '07G (Atlanta Falcons, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach)
LII:  Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Director of Player Personnel), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Jerry Schuplinski '99, '02G (New England Patriots, Assistant Quarterbacks Coach), Dave Ziegler '01, '07G (New England Patriots, Director of Pro Personnel), Nick Caley '06 (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach - Tight Ends), Frank Ross '12 (New England Patriots, Pro Scout), D.J. Debick '13 (New England Patriots, Scouting Assistant)
LIII:  Nick Caserio '98 (New England Patriots, Director of Player Personnel), Josh McDaniels '99 (New England Patriots, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Jerry Schuplinski '99, '02G (New England Patriots, Assistant Quarterbacks Coach), Dave Ziegler '01, '07G (New England Patriots, Director of Pro Personnel), Nick Caley '06 (New England Patriots, Assistant Coach - Tight Ends), D.J. Debick '13 (New England Patriots, Area Scout)
LIV:  Danny Markino '18 (Kansas City Chiefs, Season Communications Assistant), Jalen Myrick '19 (Kansas City Chiefs, Scouting Intern)
LV: Ben Milsom '01 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chief Ticketing Officer), Jalen Myrick '19 (Kansas City Chiefs, Player Personnel Assistant)
LVI: Jonathan Cooley '11, '14G (Los Angeles Rams, Assistant Coach - Secondary), Chris Shula ^ (Los Angeles Rams, Linebackers Coach)

^ = former JCU coach
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