2017 NFL Coach of the Year: Sean McVay wins award for his first-year Rams magic
MINNEAPOLIS -- It didn't take long for Rams coach Sean McVay to work his magic in Los Angeles, and he was rewarded on Saturday night at NFL Honors by being named the 2017 NFL Coach of the Year after his first season as a head coach.
There have not been many turnarounds bigger than the Rams in 2017, with Los Angeles coming off a dreadful 2016 season that featured a whopping four wins during their first season in a new city. The result was Jeff Fisher being fired midseason; the Rams chose to replace him with the youngest coach in the NFL, hiring McVay away from the Redskins after just three seasons as Washington's offensive coordinator.
The results were incredible: the Rams won 11 games and took the NFC West away from the Seahawks and Cardinals, establishing themselves as a legitimate long-term threat in the division.
Todd Gurley exploded in his third season after a down year in 2016 and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Jared Goff made a massive leap in his second season, looking like a franchise quarterback after shaping up to be a bust in his first year.
The Rams went from a joke to becoming a force on both sides of the ball. Adding Andrew Whitworth in free agency and trading for Sammy Watkins was a big help, of course, but McVay's influence on the Rams was clear. He's a superstar coach, not just in waiting, but right now, as his Coach of the Year honor suggests.
"This truly is the ultimate team award. Such a blessing," McVay said. "Truly honored and humbled because of the respect you have for the coaches around the league and coaches in general."
McVay also gave a shoutout to Doug Pederson of the Eagles and Bill Belichick of the Patriots for their work and to Wade Phillips, who he said has "more swagger than anyone in our building ... including the players."