The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Rams’ McVay youngest coach in league history
The Rams on Thursday hired Sean McVay, 31. The Washington Redskins’ offensive coordinator replaces Jeff Fisher, who was fired 13 games into the Rams’ homecoming season in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES >> The Los Angeles Rams have made Sean McVay the youngest head coach in NFL history.
The Rams on Thursday hired McVay, who turns 31 years old on Jan. 24.
The Washington Redskins’ offensive coordinator replaces Jeff Fisher, who was fired 13 games into the Rams’ homecoming season in Los Angeles, and interim head coach John Fassel. The Rams finished 4-12 in their 13th consecutive nonwinning season.
“The accomplishments and success that he has had in less than a decade in our league are impressive,” Rams owner Stan Kroenke said in a statement. “We are confident in his vision to make this team a consistent winner and we will all continue to work together to achieve our ultimate goal, bringing a Rams Super Bowl championship home to Los Angeles.”
McVay spent the past three seasons as Jay Gruden’s offensive coordinator with the Redskins. He has been an assistant since 2010 in Washington, where he worked with Gruden and Bill Callahan to build a prolific offense led by quarterback Kirk Cousins.
McVay’s most important task is likely to be the transformation of No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff into a star after his rough rookie campaign behind a struggling offensive line.
“Really happy for Sean McVay!” Cousins tweeted.
The Rams made the eyecatching move on the same day that the Chargers announced their relocation to Los Angeles to share the Rams’ $2.6 billion stadium. The Chargers are still without a coach, and the Rams grabbed some of their headlines by snagging one of the most interesting names on the coaching market.
“I am incredibly honored by this opportunity,” McVay said in a statement, thanking Kroenke and Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff. “Collectively, we are committed to building a championshipcaliber team, and I’m excited to start that process and make our fans proud.”
Coughlin in control
If it wasn’t clear how much power Tom Coughlin would wield in his return to Jacksonville, it became evident Thursday.
Coughlin’s introductory news conference started five minutes sooner than initially scheduled, a you’reearly-or-you’re-late staple of Coughlin’s coaching career. Owner Shad Khan also said Coughlin will have final say on all football decisions, giving him broad authority that includes the draft, free agency, other roster moves and the hiring of assistant coaches.
General manager Dave Caldwell handled those duties the last four years, but his role was seemingly diminished with Coughlin’s arrival.
“What enthuses me the most is Tom welcomes the challenge of overseeing all facets of the football operation, and given his roots in Jacksonville combined with his experience and pedigree, there couldn’t be possibly anyone better to accept the challenge,” Khan said.
Three days after hiring them , Khan formally introduced Coughlin as the team’s executive vice president of football operations and Doug Marrone as head coach. The old-school combination both have ties to Syracuse University should bring a new level of accountability to a franchise that has won 17 of 80 games over the last five years. Marrone replaces Gus Bradley, who was fired in late November amid one of the worst coaching tenures in NFL history.
High on the new regime’s to-do list is to change the culture. Coughlin, Jacksonville’s first coach in 1995 and a winner of two Super Bowls in 12 seasons with the New York Giants, has some ideas.
“Giving great effort, returning to good, physical football, being a smart team, being a disciplined team, a team that doesn’t turn the ball, doesn’t beat themselves,” Coughlin said.