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Sean McVay Will Battle Against NFL History In Los Angeles

By Erik Lambert

Dec 20, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay looks on from the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay looks on from the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Rams decided they would need a bold move to draw interest for 2017. New head coach Sean McVay was their solution.

What makes him so special? He now becomes the youngest man ever to be hired as a head coach in NFL history at the age of 30. Even so he already brings some fairly impressive credentials. Since 2008 he has learned under coaches like Jon Gruden and Mike Shanahan, two Super Bowl winners. Over the past three seasons as offensive coordinator in Washington he helped turn Kirk Cousins from backup into highly productive starter.

That more than anything is the probable reason the Rams hired him. They’re hoping he can have a positive impact on former #1 pick Jared Goff. It’s not a bad idea. If things go as planned the two could be together for a long time. Still it’s fair to wonder just how high the odds may or may not be stacked against a coach with so little time in pro football.

Here is a breakdown of the youngest head coaches hired during the Super Bowl era and how they fared. Keep in mind these records reflect ONLY the first job they received. Second opportunities are not factored in for obvious reasons.

  • Lane Kiffin (31):  5-15 record
  • Raheem Morris (32):  17-31 record
  • David Shula (32):  19-52 record
  • Josh McDaniels (32):  11-17 record
  • John Madden (32):  112-39 record, 8 playoff runs, 1 Super Bowl title
  • Don Shula (33):  73-26 record, 3 playoff runs
  • Jon Gruden (34):  40-28 record, 2 playoff runs
  • Bill Cowher (34):  161-99-1 record, 10 playoff runs, 1 Super Bowl title
  • Mike Tomlin (34):  110-62 record, 7 playoff runs, 1 Super Bowl title
  • Eric Mangini (34):  23-25 record, 1 playoff run

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So McVay is faced with some good and some bad. From the good side, six of 10 names listed managed to make the playoffs at least once during their stints in charge. Five of those finished with a winning record and three of those ended up with a Super Bowl championship. Not too bad odds. On the flip side though some really young coaches have crashed and burned really hard. Then there is the reality that none of the successful ones managed to win more than one title.

That may sound like nitpicking but football fans are all about championships. With an S on the end. Madden, Cowher and Tomlin are all criticized to this day that they weren’t able to win more titles. This is the scrutiny that McVay will face. Not only how inexperienced he is, but that he has a longer window of success in front of him. He could coach 20 years and still be just 50-years old. One Super Bowl in that time span will have been considered underachieving.

At the end of the day the Los Angeles Rams may have made an intriguing decision with their new head coach. Football is a sport more geared for the young. It’s true for players and the same can be said for coaches. McVay will bring energy and intelligence to the locker room. Oftentimes that’s all a team needs to get back on track.

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