Impressive, that Sean McVay. As a first-year head coach in 2017, McVay was able to pick up the remnants of a Los Angeles Rams team that Jeff Fisher had lead to a 4-12 record the prior year, immediately transforming them into division champions.
He took a team that averaged 14 points per game in 2016 (ranked 32nd) and was able to more than double that production — finishing last season with nearly 30 ppg (ranked 1st).
As a result, the NFL’s youngest head coach capped off his year by being awarded 2017’s Head Coach of the Year honors.
But it wouldn’t be fair to say he’s the best coach in the NFL, especially after one season. He simply doesn’t have the tenure or resumé to rank among the league’s best. But that’s not to say he can’t get there — and quickly.
Elliot Harrison over at NFL Network recently ranked the NFL’s coaches from 1-32. It’ll probably come as no surprise that Bill Belichick lands at No. 1 on the list. But just how impressed was Harrison with the Rams’ rookie head coach? Here’s what he had to say about McVay, who drops in at No. 13 on his list:
McVay deserves this high of a ranking after only one season due to the Rams’ instant turnaround and the savvy development of Jared Goff. The No. 1 overall pick in 2016 performed miserably in miserable circumstances during his rookie campaign, but under McVay’s tutelage (and leadership), Goff tossed 28 touchdown passes against a minuscule seven interceptions. As impressive: McVay’s poise in the postgame, assuming accountability for losses while deflecting credit after the team’s 11 wins. He’s already put his stamp on the franchise.
Making your way into the top half of the league, at least in the eye of the critics, after one year at the helm is no easy task. If he’s able to build upon last season with an upgraded 2018 squad – who many believe could be a serious contender for a Super Bowl run – sliding inside the top 10 for next year’s rankings should be accomplished with relative ease.