Former Redskins coach Sean McVay forging a legacy in L.A.

In 2016, 30-year old Sean McVay was the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.

Now, he’s the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, and he’ll be leading them through the tunnel and onto the field of the Super Bowl later today.

Whether McVay wins or loses, he’s already begun to build the foundation of a legacy for himself. At 33 years old, he’s the youngest head coach to ever lead a team to the Super Bowl. Were he to win against the New England Patriots, and by extension, the odds, he’d be the youngest to win the big game by a full three years.

To top it off, McVay already has a coaching tree, just two years into his tenure. Matt LaFleur, McVay’s offensive coordinator in 2017, was hired as the new head coach of the Green Bay Packers earlier this offseason, and once the Rams’ Super Bowl trip is over, current Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor is expected to become the next head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. McVay has single-handedly changed the league with his success; his mold is one teams will follow for years to come.

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Much has been made of McVay’s unicorn blood, but three years ago, after he’d called plays during a record-breaking campaign for Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins offense, there was skepticism surrounding the limited attention McVay received as a coaching candidate. Wade Phillips, McVay’s defensive coordinator with Los Angeles, had to be convinced by his son, Wes Phillips, that joining McVay’s staff would be a risk worth taking, per Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times.

The elder Phillips would say “He’s 30 years old. You think he’s going to get [a head coaching job]?”

And the younger replied: “Dad, if he interviews for one, he’s going to get it.”

Those close to McVay were sure that he would be a superstar in the NFL soon enough, and now, his enticing combination of charisma, fire, and strategic genius has risen to the greatest stage in football. It took a bit of imperfection on the league’s part in the NFC Championship game, but McVay’s team has gone 24-8 in his first two seasons for a reason. The former Redskins assistant is a once-in-a-lifetime coach. And he has a chance to further his fledgeling legacy, and earn a once-in-a-lifetime award, tonight.

It simply wasn’t in the cards for the Redskins to fire Jay Gruden and promote McVay, after a season in which Gruden had his team a game out of the playoffs. But McVay’s success away from Washington opens the door for onlookers in D.C. to wonder what could’ve been.

Next. NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Redskins get a new QB. dark

For McVay himself, however, there’s no looking to the past. He’s got a ring on his mind.

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