You’re Never Too Old or Too Young to Be a Great Leader
Coach McVay and Coach Belichick in SuperBowl LIII
This Sunday, Patriot’s Head Coach Bill Belichick and Ram’s Head Coach Sean McVay will match Tom Brady and Jared Goff up in what’s sure to be an amazing battle of old versus new. In the process, they’ve shown us a great contrast in what it takes to lead a winning team.
At 66 years old, Bill Belichick is a legend. He’s stood across the field from Hall of Famers such as Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, and Tom Landry and over his nineteen-year run, he’s led the Patriots to no less than five Superbowls in eight appearances. If he wins the game this Sunday, he’ll be the oldest head coach to ever do so.
In contrast, 33-year-old Sean McVay is nothing short of a prodigy. Sean was a strong contender in college and is a sponge of knowledge about the game. Fresh out of college, he began working for Washington’s Head Coach Mike Shanahan and became the NFL’s youngest head coach since the '30s. He could soon become the youngest head coach to ever win the Superbowl.
What make’s Sunday’s game all the more admirable is that McVay and Belichick have recently become fast friends. After meeting at the scouting combine last year, McVay’s curiosity and Belichick’s penchant for detailed breakdowns have proven to be a great match. They have texted back and forth throughout the season, and have a strong respect for each other’s talents.
Bill Belichick’s Legacy
It might help to say that Belichick wasn’t always a legend. He started as a defensive coach back in 1980 at the age of 28 and remembers the amount of skepticism leveled at him. When the Patriots made an unprecedented trade for him back in 2000, most of the league still saw him as a huge question mark. But Belichick proved everyone wrong when he cemented his legacy against the Rams in 2002.
Belichick has a reputation for being tough and results-driven. From an early age, he learned the importance of taking charge and setting the tone for the team. He’s taught the Patriots the importance of being ready for any situation and even brought in Navy SEALs to assist with training.
He’s also stressed the importance of balancing life both on and off the field, and knows the importance of supporting his players in their personal lives. Most of all, he knows the importance of looking forward and not dwelling on his past success.
Sean McVay’s Vision
Sean McVay seems like he was born for coaching. His grandfather, John McVay, worked as an executive on the San Francisco 49ers team that claimed five Super Bowl titles in the ’80s and ’80s under Bill Walsh.
After graduating from Miami University in 2007, McVay joined the Tamba Bay Buccaneers as an offensive assistant and later joined the Washington Redskins as an assistant coach. His relentless curiosity helped him quickly rise through the ranks to become their offensive coordinator.
He credits much of his coaching success to ESPN analyst and Buccaneer Head Coach Jon Gruden, who taught him to take a deep look at all aspects of the game. Even in the offseason, he dedicates most of his free time to studying the game.
McVay inspires his team to have that same sense of clarity and vision, both on and off the field. He pushes them to understand the importance of trusting in the process and having the discipline to do things the right way the first time. He is strict about having the proper professional mindset and sets unwavering standards for his players.
His visionary leadership has transformed and revived the Rams franchise following 10 consecutive losing seasons. Now he’s up against one of the most decorated teams in NFL history. It’s going to be an interesting game.
