Sean McVay coaching tree: Rapid success comes for disciples of young Rams head coach

Teams looking for “The Next McVay” may have to come to terms with the fact that there is only one Sean McVay. That might not stop franchises from trying.

While the Rams’ head coach’s success is well documented at this point — three division crowns in his first five seasons as a head coach — his staffs have caught the attention of the rest of the league, and for good reason: McVay tree coaches went 32-14 in 2021, with two of the three making the playoffs and the last just narrowly missing out.

Though he’s still just 35 years old, three of McVay’s former assistants have already moved on to snag NFL head coaching jobs, while another has his hands in the college ranks. That’s not bad company.

Sean McVay coaching tree

Zac Taylor, Bengals

Record: 16-32-1

Taylor entered the season with questions over his job security, but the Bengals landing in the playoffs with a great season from “Smokin'” Joe Burrow means Taylor has bought himself some goodwill.

Taylor’s hiring raised lots of eyebrows, as he replaced the well-respected Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati. His less-than good record in his first two years (2-14, 4-11-1) had people doubting the “Next McVay” strategy, but he made good on the offensive talent he had in 2021, making it to the playoffs.

His in-game decision making has gotten better and at various points in 2021, the Bengals looked like they were the best team in the AFC. We’ll see what Taylor has in store in the playoffs and beyond.

Matt LaFleur, Packers

Record: 36-10

There’s something of a shared custody with LaFleur, as he also sits underneath the Shanahan coaching tree. LaFleur and McVay worked beside each other in Washington in the early 2010s under Mike Shanahan, and then reunited in Los Angeles in 2017 when LaFleur operated as McVay’s OC for a season.

The Packers head coach has gotten off to an absolutely dazzling start to his head coaching career, with three-straight 13-win seasons in Green Bay and NFC North division crowns to match. Aaron Rodgers or not, that’s pretty impressive stuff.

LaFleur’s first two forays into the playoffs ended with questionable decisions in the NFC Championship Game. We’ll see if the LaFleur-Rodgers tandem can make it 3-for-3 in NFC Championship Game appearances while the pair has been together — and maybe actually win one this time.

Brandon Staley, Chargers

Record: 9-8

Staley inherited a just-add-water playoff squad in 2021 — the water was added, but the playoff squad was not.

Staley’s already developed a reputation of being a hyper-analytical thinker, with questionable decisions dooming the Chargers at various points in 2021. What helps Staley’s case, though, is that Justin Herbert continued to build on an exceptional start to his career with a stupid good sophomore season.

You can chalk up a lot of game management stuff to rookie coaching growing pains, but 2022 is going to have to show a marked improvement for in-game feel for Staley and Co.

Jedd Fisch, Arizona (NCAA)

Record: 1-11

Fisch was a well-traveled coach on both sides of the ball, landing on McVay’s staff in 2018 as an offensive assistant before being elevated to assistant OC in 2019. He moved on to New England in 2020 before getting the head coaching job at the University of Arizona in 2021.