How Sean McVay’s Coaching Tree Keeps Reshaping the NFL
Make no mistake — when a coach from Sean McVay’s tree gets hired, offensive production booms. Whether it’s a disciple taking over an offense or even defensive minds learning from his structure, the results in Year One have become too consistent to ignore. From Matt LaFleur in Green Bay to Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota, Zac Taylor in Cincinnati, and Liam Coen in Tampa Bay, and now Jacksonville, McVay’s impact spreads like wildfire across the league. Even coaches with defensive backgrounds like Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris saw massive offensive spikes during their first seasons, thanks in part to how their teams were built and coached. Then there’s Jedd Fisch, who never even coached with McVay in the NFL but brought McVay’s principles to Arizona. His offense with quarterback Noah Fifita and star wide receivers Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillian became one of the most dynamic units in college football.
The proof is in the production. Aaron Rodgers won two MVPs with LaFleur. Justin Jefferson became the best WR in the league under O’Connell. Baker Mayfield posted a career year with Coen. Ja’Marr Chase won the Triple Crown, and Joe Burrow looked unstoppable under Zac Taylor in 2024. Zac Robinson helped Atlanta leap from 27th to 14th in points per drive in his first year. Even when the names change, the pattern doesn’t.
It comes down to innovation and unselfishness. McVay doesn’t hoard control — he empowers his assistants. He gives them room to grow, and sometimes even room to fail, knowing it’ll pay off later. Take Rams OC Mike LaFleur, who’s rapidly developed under McVay’s guidance. In 2024, the Rams used video boards to evaluate plays in real-time on the sideline. That instant feedback loop has been invaluable. “To be able to get that and get that video, that picture, that plays in your head so you can go coach whoever you got to coach... if you can do it on the sideline in real-time, I think that's big,” LaFleur said.
This wasn’t something he had access to at previous coaching stops, yet he got it under McVay? Innovation is the norm. McVay also gives his coaches chances to call plays in preseason games, regular-season finales, or during split-squad practices. That experience often becomes the foundation of their next big opportunity. Grant Udinski, now the Jaguars OC under Liam Coen, credits that exact setup for his growth: “When we do two spots... You go over to a second field and have the opportunity to call it and run the drill. That mirrored what I was able to do here.”
While no McVay assistant has eclipsed the head coach’s success, the ripple effect is undeniable. Whether it’s helping develop MVPs, transforming young quarterbacks, or reviving struggling offenses, McVay’s influence is everywhere. So, how does he keep doing it? He hires well, delegates, and teaches relentlessly. However, above all, he doesn’t fear giving others the spotlight. As long as McVay is coaching — and coaching coaches — the NFL will keep seeing his impact spread far beyond Los Angeles.
