Sean McVay says 'it can't be healthy' to coach in the NFL for a long time
Cameron DaSilva
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
At 32 years old, Sean McVay is already a 10-year veteran in the NFL. He got his start with Jon Gruden’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008 at the age of 22, spending a year as the assistant wide receivers coach. He went to the UFL for a year in 2009, but quickly returned to the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 2010 where he’d spend the next seven years rising through the coaching ranks.
It seems impossible that a 32-year-old could have 10 years of NFL experience, but McVay isn’t like most coaches. He’s been around football all his life, going all the way back to his grandfather John McVay’s days as the Giants head coach and 49ers general manager.
McVay has known for a while that he wanted to be an NFL head coach, but he’s not so sure how long he’ll do it for. That’s certainly not something Rams fans want to hear, and it’s not an immediate concern, of course, but McVay knows the toll coaching takes on a person.
On an upcoming episode of HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” – which will air on July 24 at 10 p.m. ET – McVay touches on his future in the NFL. Gumbel asked McVay if he’s a “lifer,” or someone who will be an NFL coach all his life the way his defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has.
“Yeah, it’s a good question. I love this game so much. But I don’t know what else I would do,” McVay said, according to the HBO report. “I’ve gotta continue to do a better job of figuring out that work-life balance. Being able to shut off. Because there’s always, you’re kinda always just thinking through things. Your mind’s always racing. And I– I know that it can’t be healthy to continue to do this for a long time. But while– while you’re able to do it and feel like you’ve got some energy, you sure love it.”
In no way is McVay saying he’s going to step away from the game early or retire at the age of 40, but being an NFL coach is a trying profession. McVay admits he doesn’t have much of a work-life balance, which is the norm in his coaching ranks. He’s always thinking about plays, ways to make the Rams better and how he can be a better all-around coach.
All of that puts a great deal of stress on a person, which McVay admits isn’t healthy. Just this weekend, tragedy struck longtime NFL coach Tony Sparano, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56 on Sunday.
McVay’s comments came before Sparano’s tragic death, so this wasn’t him reacting to the devastating news. It was him shedding light on how difficult being an NFL coach is.
Tim McVay, Sean’s father, didn’t even think his son would get a head coaching job at the age of 30. He was asked if he thought Sean had a shot at getting the gig in Los Angeles last year, expressing very little optimism.
“Well I don’t know if I should tell you this,” but he says—‘I don’t think you understand Dad. If I get an interview I’m gonna get one of these jobs.’ I said, “I’m all for you man.” And then I hang up and my wife says, ‘Can he get one of those jobs this soon?’ And I said, ’Nah.’”
McVay obviously proved his father wrong, going out and winning Coach of the Year in his first season. Rams fans are hoping there are many more of those awards to come, potentially with a Lombardi Trophy, too.
