Buffalo Bills nominate Brighton coach for Don Shula coach of the year award

BRIGHTON, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills have chosen Brighton High School Head Coach Stephen Lian as its nominee for a prestigious award.

Lian is among the nominees for this year’s Don Shula NFL High School Football Coach of the Year award, named in memory of the Miami Dolphins coach who became the winningest coach in NFL history. The award seeks to honor a coach who demonstrates integrity, achievement, and leadership. 

Last fall, Lian and his coaching staff led the Brighton Bruins to a 12-1 record, the most wins in a season in the school’s history. Brighton also won its first-ever Sectional championship and Far West Regional Championship.

The Bills say they also nominated Lian for the emphasis he puts on academics and concussion safety. All of the players on his team have gone on to graduate. In addition, all players on his team wear Guardian Caps to prevent concussions, even during summer workouts. He has also helped his team build a partnership with the University of Rochester for injury prevention.

“Football is this finite period of time that our kids have to participate in it, but we hope that the lessons from football last forever,” Lian told the Buffalo Bills.

Lian is the first Asian American head coach to win the Section V championship. Lian has gotten to coach his son.