George Teague has represented the Dallas Cowboys before, but that came as a safety for the team around the turn of the millennium. Now, 18 years after his last season for the team, he’ll represent them again under different circumstances.

Teague, the head coach at Plano John Paul II, was nominated by the Cowboys for the 2019 Don Shula Coach of the Year Award. Each team gets to nominate one local high school coach for the honor and this year the Cowboys turned to a former player of theirs.

“The Dallas Cowboys are proud to recognize George Teague for the work he is doing to build great football players, but more importantly men of character through the game of football,” Cowboys Executive Vice President Charlotte Jones said in a statement. “During his time with the Dallas Cowboys, George was a great example of hard work and dedication both to the team and his community. He has now transferred that championship tradition to impacting the lives of student-athletes in a positive way and we could not be prouder to recognize him for his continued dedication.”

Familiarity wasn’t the reason Teague received the nomination.

Three years ago, Teague took over a John Paul II program that had lost 32 consecutive games, a stretch that extended into the first game of Teague’s tenure. The Cardinals won the next game and the turnaround began. It culminated this past season when Teague led John Paul II to the playoffs, sparked by an 11-overtime win over Bishop Dunne, the reigning state champions.

John Paul II had never won a postseason game before this season, but Teague changed that. The Cardinals, led by the connection of quarterback Grayson James and wide receiver Jerand Bradley, made it all the way to the state title game. And even though they lost, they finished with 10 wins, an unparalleled feat for a school that hadn’t won a game in three years when Teague took over.

Read more: ‘JPII has arrived’: How John Paul II went from never winning a playoff game to playing for a state championship

The Cowboys noticed and nominated him for the Don Shula Award, for which Teague said he’s grateful.

“I am extremely honored to be nominated by the Dallas Cowboys for the Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award,” Teague said in a statement from the Cowboys. “Being recognized by the Cowboys — a team I spent five years of my NFL career playing for — fills me with excitement, but also with humbleness. I am grateful for this opportunity to represent the Cowboys and my John Paul II High School family with this recognition.”

Teague now joins a pool of 31 other nominees for the award. All of the nominees are invited to attend week-long Pro Bowl festivities in Orlando, Fla. They’re also allowed to bring a senior from their team to participate in a high school skills showdown. The two finalists for the award will receive $15,000 — $10,000 of which will go to their school’s football program.

The winner will be announced during the Pro Bowl, which is scheduled for Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. CT.

On Twitter: @JoeJHoyt