Palko is the Don Shula Coach of the Year Award recipient. @mtlebofootball

Picture by Austin Bechtold

Sunday at Allegiant stadium during the NFL Pro Bowl, Mt. Lebanon High School football coach Bob Palko was named as the recipient of the 2021 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year.

“I think just meeting and being able to learn from the young kids. You got to learn to adapt and adjust through life and these kids have really helped me do that. So it’s kind of a work in progress, but just proud” said Palko about what he loves about coaching during the broadcast . ”

Palko is only the second WPIAL coach to win a state championship with two different schools, previously winning the state title while at West Allegheny in 2001.

Palko was named PFN Coach of the Year  the as well as the Pennsylvania Football Writers Coach of the Year. Palko is the second PA coach to receive the award. Gabe Infante, St. Joseph’s Prep, was awarded the honor in 2018.

The Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award is awarded annually to a high school football head coach in the United States that displays “the integrity, achievement, and leadership exemplified by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula.” It was created by the National Football League Foundation and first awarded for 2010, known then as the Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award, and coaches from the high school, college, and professional levels were eligible to receive it. It became an exclusively high school award in 2011 when it was awarded as part of the 1st Annual NFL Honors. Each of the 32 teams in the National Football League nominate a high school coach for each season’s award. Two finalists each receive $15,000 from the NFL Foundation with $10,000 going to the schools’ football programs. The award was designed and sculpted by artist Stephanie Borgese.