Steelers nominate Avonworth football coach Duke Johncour for 2024 Don Shula Award

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 | 9:05 PM

Purchase Photo Options

The Pittsburgh Steelers have nominated Avonworth football coach Duke Johncour to represent Western Pennsylvania as one of 32 candidates for the 2024 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award.

The NFL announced the candidates Tuesday.

Johncour led Avonworth from a No. 5 seed to a WPIAL Class 3A title and a state runner-up finish in his 14th season as the Antelopes’ coach. The WPIAL final appearance was also the team’s third in three years.

His career record is 119-41 with a WPIAL title in 2019 as well.

“Coach Johncour stood out from the rest of the pack in terms of the togetherness of his team,” Steelers football development manager Joe Lofton said in a statement announcing the team’s choice. “They might not have the greatest talent on the field, but they managed to make their way back to the WPIAL championships three years in a row. It has to be something the coach is doing with the kids. It goes further than the game.

“They do a lot of character development with their student athletes. Not only do they care about what happens on the field, but they care about the kids off the field.”

Each NFL franchise nominated one high school football coach from its area. Two winners to be selected later this month — one each representing the AFC and NFC — will be invited to attend the Pro Bowl on Feb. 2 in Orlando and the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

The NFL Foundation and sponsor Nike will award the two winners $15,000 each for their high school football programs and $10,000 for themselves. The other 30 nominees receive $1,000.

The winners also will be recognized at the NFL Honors, a televised awards show Feb. 8.

Former Mt. Lebanon football coach Bob Palko won the 2021 Don Shula Award.

The panel selecting this year’s winners includes:

• 2023 Shula Award winners Andy Lowry of Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., and Shane Fairfield of Muskegon (Mich.) High School

• Scott Pioli, NFL analyst and former front office executive

• Peyton Manning, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and ESPN contributor

• Tony Dungy, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and NBC analyst

• Scott Hallenbeck, executive director of USA Football

• Bobby Taylor, NFL consultant and retired All-Pro cornerback

• Michael Robinson, NFL Network analyst and retired fullback

• Dave Shula, former NFL coach and son of the late Don Shula

• Nike executive Scott Henson

2024 Shula Award nominees

NFL franchise, Coach, High school

Arizona Cardinals, Travis Schureman, Queen Creek

Atlanta Falcons, Darren Myles, Carver-Atlanta

Baltimore Ravens, Jack Walsh, Arundel

Buffalo Bills, Stephen Lian, Brighton

Carolina Panthers, Andy Capone, Weddington

Chicago Bears, Darren Sunkett, East St. Louis

Cincinnati Bengals, Tom Bolden, Lakota West

Cleveland Browns, Mac Stephens, Cleveland Heights

Dallas Cowboys, Ray Gates, North Crowley

Denver Broncos, *Tim Test, Mountain View

Detroit Lions, Tom Alward, Goodrich

Green Bay Packers, Bill Jacklin, Slinger

Houston Texans, Brandon Ellis, Worthing

Indianapolis Colts, John Hart, Brownsburg

Jacksonville Jaguars, Marty Lee, First Coast

Kansas City Chiefs, Chad Frigon, Liberty

Las Vegas Raiders, *Jodi Reich, Coronado

Los Angeles Chargers, *Rick Hayashida, El Camino Real Charter

Los Angeles Rams, Travis Clark, Long Beach Wilson

Miami Dolphins, Dylan Potts, West Boca Raton Community

Minnesota Vikings, Dwight Lundeen, Becker

New England Patriots, Doug Kopcso, Needham

New Orleans Saints, Rodney Guin, Calvary Baptist Academy

New York Giants, Dave Hogan, Chenango Forks

New York Jets, Andrew Jashyn, William E. Grady

Philadelphia Eagles, Damon Brockington, Frankford

Pittsburgh Steelers, Duke Johncour, Avonworth

San Francisco 49ers, Lenny Vandermade, St. Ignatius College Preparatory

Seattle Seahawks, Adam Mathieson, Camas

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kirk Karsen, Gaither

Tennessee Titans, Kyle Shoulders, Macon County

Washington Commanders, Steve Rapp, Dr. Henry A Wise

*Girls flag football coach

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth