| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1931-01-05)January 5, 1931 Bellaire, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 31, 2022(2022-10-31) (aged 91) Granite Bay, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1950–1952 | Miami (OH) |
| Position | Center |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1953–1955 | Lancaster HS (OH) (assistant) |
| 1956 | Franklin HS (OH) |
| 1957–1961 | Central Catholic HS (OH) |
| 1962–1964 | Michigan State (assistant) |
| 1965–1972 | Dayton |
| 1974–1975 | Memphis Southmen |
| 1976 | New York Giants (assistant) |
| 1976–1978 | New York Giants |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1972–1973 | Dayton |
| 1974–1975 | Memphis Southmen (GM) |
| 1976 | New York Giants (DRD) |
| 1980–1994 | San Francisco 49ers (VP) |
| 1995 | San Francisco 49ers (SA) |
| 1998–1999 | San Francisco 49ers (GM) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 41–7–2 (high school) 37–41–4 (college) 24–7 (WFL) 14–23 (NFL) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| First-team All-MAC (1952) NFL Executive of the Year (1989) San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame | |
John Edward McVay (January 5, 1931 – October 31, 2022) was an Americanfootball coach and executive. He rose through the coaching ranks from high school, through the college level, and to theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football atMiami University inOhio, starring as acenter.
McVay was born inBellaire, Ohio. McVay later moved toMassillon where he played high school football forMassillon Washington High School and was named second-team All-Ohio. McVay playedcollege football atMiami University. He later married and had three boys, John, Jim, and Tim. His grandson,Sean McVay, son of Tim, is currently the head coach of theLos Angeles Rams.
McVay coached at several Ohio high schools,Michigan State University as an assistant coach, and then head coach at theUniversity of Dayton.
McVay became the head coach of theWorld Football LeagueMemphis Southmen (also known as the Memphis Grizzlies) in1974, the WFL's first season. His record at Memphis was 24–7; the league folded in1975.[1] In 1976, he went to the NFLNew York Giants as an assistant coach of research and development under fellow Miami alumnusBill Arnsparger. After opening with seven losses, Arnsparger was fired in late October and McVay was promoted.[2][3] From 1976 to 1978, McVay struggled with a franchise in transition. After taking over midway through the 1976 season, McVay had 2 seasoned veterans at quarterback (Craig Morton, andNorm Snead) ...... in his first full NFL season with the team (1977), McVay was dealing with the opposite extreme in that the Giants' roster that season consisted of threerookie quarterbacks. His contract with the Giants was not renewed after the 1978 season, most likely as the result ofa famous loss to thePhiladelphia Eagles on November 19.[4]
McVay moved on to an administrative position with theSan Francisco 49ers in 1980.[5] He collaborated with head coachBill Walsh in one of the most successful dynasties in NFL history. As vice president/director of football operations, he presided over fiveSuper Bowl-winning seasons. He was namedNFL Executive of the Year in 1989.[6] He retired from the 49ers in 1996. But when the franchise was transferred from Eddie DeBartolo Jr. to his sister, Denise, the York family wanted a steady hand like McVay's in the front office during the transition. McVay agreed to come back in 1998 and stayed for two more seasons.
McVay's grandson,Sean, at the age of 30, became the youngest head coach inNFL history after he was hired by theLos Angeles Rams in 2017.[7] Sean subsequently became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl when in 2022 he wonSuper Bowl LVI.[8]
McVay died on October 31, 2022, at the age of 91.[9]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Flyers(NCAA University Division independent)(1965–1972) | |||||||||
| 1965 | Dayton | 1–8–1 | |||||||
| 1966 | Dayton | 8–2 | |||||||
| 1967 | Dayton | 6–3–1 | |||||||
| 1968 | Dayton | 5–5 | |||||||
| 1969 | Dayton | 3–7 | |||||||
| 1970 | Dayton | 5–4–1 | |||||||
| 1971 | Dayton | 5–6 | |||||||
| 1972 | Dayton | 4–6–1 | |||||||
| Dayton: | 37–41–4 | ||||||||
| Total: | 37–41–4 | ||||||||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| NYG | 1976 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 5th in NFC East | – | – | – | – |
| NYG | 1977 | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | T–4th in NFC East | – | – | – | – |
| NYG | 1978 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5th in NFC East | – | – | – | – |
| Total[10] | 14 | 23 | 0 | .378 | – | – | – | – | ||
