BIRMINGHAM – Wenonah High School’s Dragons beat Huffman 28-6 Thursday night  to improve to 4-1 on the season – putting the finishing touch on a special celebration for one of the Dragons’ former players – Sam Shade.
     The school retired  the Shades number 4 Jersey he wore while earning All-State honors in high school in a special program at Wenonah prior to the game. Shade, who graduated from Wenonah High School in 1990, earned All-State and All-Southern honors in high school as an outstanding running back and defensive back. He was selected the overall 1990 Bryant-Jordan Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the first black student to earn that award. He moved on to the University of Alabama where he helped the Crimson Tide win the National Championship on 1992 and earned All-SEC honors in 1994.
   He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and embarked on an eight-year pro career from 1995-2002 where he amassed 528 career tackles with the Bengals and later the Washington Redskins. He also had 10 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries and 8.5 sacks. Following his playing days, he returned to Birmingham as a member of the Samford University staff coach serving as special teams and defensive passing  game coordinator where he mentored three players who reached the NFL. He then moved to the staff at Georgia State before returning to the NFL on the Cleveland Browns staff.
   He returned to the state in 2020 as the head coach at Pinson Valley replacing Patrick Nix. In his first year, the Indians finished 12-2 and won a state title. Leading that team was Ga’Quincy ‘Kool-aid’ McKinstry, who earned Mr. Football honors in 2020, All-America honors at the University of Alabama and is now a defensive back in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.
   Shade left the high school ranks to take over the Miles College football program in 2022. His first team finished 1-9 but his 2023 team tied for second in the SIAC with a 7-3 overall record and 6-2 conference slate. He is currently in his third season as head coach.
   Shade continues to a prime role model and inspiration for student-athletes in Alabama for his commitment to academics and athletics.