Alabama A&M has announced the hiring of Sam Shade as its new head football coach.
Shade, a former standout defensive back for Alabama and the NFL, joins the Bulldogs after three seasons at the helm of Miles College in Fairfield. During his tenure, he guided the Golden Bears to an 18-15 record, highlighted by a stellar 10-3 season this year that included a conference title and an NCAA Division II playoff appearance.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Alabama A&M as we welcome Coach Sam Shade to the Hill,” said athletics director Paul A. Bryant. “He brings extensive expertise, a track record of success, and strong connections within the state. His outstanding relationships and leadership made him the ideal choice to lead our program into the future.”
Shade replaces Connell Maynor, who was let go earlier this month after compiling a 40-32 record over seven seasons. The Bulldogs finished the 2024 season with a 6-6 record.
Hailing from Birmingham, Shade boasts an impressive football resume. He was an All-SEC safety at Alabama in the early 1990s and a key player on the Crimson Tide’s 1992 national championship team. His professional career spanned eight seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington.
Shade’s coaching experience includes stints as an assistant at Samford (2009-2015), Georgia State (2017), and the Cleveland Browns (2018). He also served as head coach at Pinson Valley High School from 2020 to 2021, where he led the team to a state championship in his debut season.
