Veteran coach John Shannon joins Berlin Thunder as offensive coordinator
The Berlin Thunder have found their offensive coordinator for the upcoming season. The team signed 71-year-old American coach John Shannon, who brings decades of coaching experience to the franchise.
A long coaching career in the United States
Shannon has worked at many levels of American football. He was offensive coordinator at Marshall and Toledo University, where he coached former NFL quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.
He also worked as a head coach at Biloxi High School in Mississippi and coached at Texas Southern University (NCAA Division I FCS). Over the years, he held several coaching roles, including positions at Maryland, the University of the Pacific, the University of Richmond, and Morehead State.
He started his coaching career in 1977 as a graduate assistant and tight ends coach at Western Kentucky.
Success at Jackson State
One of the most successful periods of Shannon’s career came at Jackson State, where he worked as offensive coordinator from 1994 to 2000.
During this time, his teams won around 75% of their games and set multiple offensive records. Jackson State also won conference championships in 1995 and 1996 and played in the SWAC Championship Game in 1999.
In 2000, Shannon received several awards, including Offensive Coordinator of the Year (Division I-AA), AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year, and the All-American Football Foundation Top Assistant Coaches Award.
Experience in European football
Shannon already has experience in European football. He was the offensive coordinator of the Vienna Vikings in the 2023 season.
Now, he brings his knowledge and leadership to Berlin Thunder, adding more experience to the coaching staff. The franchise has already announced Head Coach Shawn Cooper and Defensive Coordinator Raúl Saavedra.
A talented offense to work with
As offensive coordinator, Shannon will work with a group of talented players. The offense includes American players Jakeb Sullivan and Jon Cole, as well as young talents like Kai Hunter, Niklas Schumm, and Lewis Kirby.
With Shannon’s experience and this group of players, the Berlin Thunder offense could become one of the most dangerous units in the league.
