The “Intellectual Brutality” Option: Is The Internal OC Candidate David Shaw The Answer?

He has spent the last year silently auditing the offense from the inside. Now, the former Stanford architect might be the only one equipped to fix the run game without a total reset.

Jan 15, 2026

January 12th | 9:04PM

As the Detroit Lions survey the wreckage of a 2025 season where the offense lost its schematic identity, the instinct is to burn it down and start over. But while the front office casts a wide net for external innovators, the solution to Dan Campbell’s problems might already be sitting in the office down the hall.

David Shaw, the Lions’ current Senior Offensive Assistant, has spent the last 12 months in the building. He has watched the regression, sat in the meetings, and observed the disconnect between the play-calling and the personnel. He isn’t a shiny new toy from the McVay or Shanahan trees; he is a proven architect who sits at the intersection of the Bill Walsh West Coast system and the “Power Gap” philosophy that defined the Harbaugh/Shaw era at Stanford.

Archetype: The “Power / West Coast” Hybrid

Shaw represents a return to “Pro-Style” orthodoxy, but with a violent twist. He speaks the classic West Coast language (timing, precision, full-field reads) that Jared Goff was raised on, but he marries it to a heavy, gap-scheme run game (Power, Counter, Duo). Unlike the “Spread” candidates who want to space the field horizontally, Shaw believes in winning inside a “phone booth”—utilizing multiple tight ends and heavy personnel to bludgeon defenses into submission.The Case For: The “Internal Audit”

The strongest argument for Shaw is that he offers a course correction rather than a restart. As an internal candidate, he has already performed the “audit.” He knows exactly why the run game failed in 2025 because he watched the film with the staff every Monday.

The Tight End Renaissance: Shaw’s Stanford tenure (2011-2022) was defined by the “Tight End Factory.” He developed Zach Ertz, Levine Toilolo, Austin Hooper, Dalton Schultz, and Colby Parkinson into NFL draft picks. He views the position as the primary engine of the offense. Promoting Shaw would signal a massive schematic shift to feature Sam LaPorta as the “Y-Iso” option—the clear focal point of the passing attack rather than just a cog in the machine.
“Punch The Clock” Factor: Dan Campbell wants to run the ball. Shaw built his reputation on the phrase “Intellectual Brutality.” He is culturally aligned with Campbell’s desire to impose will on opponents, potentially returning Detroit to the downhill, gap-scheme identity that maximizes the offensive lines power and agility. Without an elite offensive line, almost any scheme will fail. When it’s time to “Punch The Clock” there can be no second guessing!

The Argument Against: The “Dinosaur”

The primary knock on Shaw is pace and modernity. His offenses at Stanford eventually stagnated because they failed to adapt to the explosive, space-and-pace nature of modern football. Critics argue his system is too rigid, too slow, and lacks the “easy buttons”—specifically the RPOs and pre-snap motion candy—that Ben Johnson used to make Jared Goff’s life easy. There is a legitimate fear that a Shaw-led offense would look like it belongs in 2014, not 2026.

The Risks

The “CEO” Trap: Shaw spent 12 years as a Head Coach. The transition back to being a coordinator—where you have to grind on 3rd-and-4 blitz pickups rather than manage the whole team—is difficult. There is a risk he operates too much like an administrator and not enough like a play-caller.
The “Internal” Stigma: If the offense starts slow, the fanbase will immediately revolt against the “lazy” internal hire. He will not have the honeymoon period that an external “guru” would enjoy.

Strengths As A Coordinator

The “Ertz” Effect (Sam LaPorta Usage): Shaw is elite at creating leverage for Tight Ends. He uses condensed formations to hide the TE, allowing them to release freely against linebackers who are worried about the run. He would force defenses to play “Base” personnel, then dissect them with LaPorta in coverage mismatches.
Protection Wizardry: Shaw is arguably the most detailed protection coach on the market. He understands the nuances of 6-man and 7-man protections better than most. For a stationary quarterback like Jared Goff, Shaw offers the safest pocket in the NFL.
Gap Scheme Diversity: He doesn’t just run “Power.” He runs Power-O, Power-G, Counter-Tray, and Duo. He would give Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery a diverse menu of runs that take advantage of the Lions’ elite offensive line athleticism.

Why He Fits (The Internal Caveat)

Shaw fits Detroit because he offers stability with an edge.

The “Adult in the Room”: After a chaotic 2025 season where the offensive messaging felt scattered, Shaw brings instant gravitas. He commands the room. He doesn’t need to earn Jared Goff’s respect; he already has it.
The “Goff” Translator: Goff’s best traits are his brain and his accuracy. Shaw’s system puts a premium on pre-snap intelligence and post-snap processing. He won’t ask Goff to be an improviser; he will ask him to be a surgeon.

Ideal Landing Spots

Detroit Lions (Internal Promotion): The logical move to stabilize the franchise without tearing down the playbook.
Pittsburgh Steelers: A perfect cultural fit for the “Steeler Way” if they move on from their current OC.
New Orleans Saints: A franchise that values veteran coaching presence and structured offense.

The Verdict

The “Safe” Road to Stagnation.

Promoting David Shaw is the “grown-up” move that stabilizes the room, but it is likely the wrong move to win actual football games in 2026. While Shaw is an elite assistant and a valuable culture-setter, his schematic DNA is simply too condensed for a roster built to run. We just witnessed a season where condensed formations—which typically only thrive against heavy man coverage—stalled out against modern zone defenses.

The Lions do not need to hide in a phone booth; they need to get vertical. With weapons like Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs, the offense must be explosive, spacious, and reactive to the modern game. Shaw offers a high floor of competency, but his rigid, power-heavy approach risks putting a ceiling on an offense that should be limitless. He is the perfect “Senior Assistant,” but handing him the keys to the car might just mean driving 55 MPH in the slow lane while the rest of the NFC North flies by.

Video Analysis: David Shaw’s Philosophy

WATCH: David Shaw on “Intellectual Brutality” & Player Evaluation

This interview highlights Shaw’s calm, deliberate communication style and his philosophy on recruiting “high character” leaders—a direct match for the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell culture.