Sean McVay is tied for the fourth-youngest head coach across the NFL for the 2026 season. The Los Angeles Rams’ leading man has yet to turn 40, but somehow his coaching staff is already coming full circle and collecting former draft picks and players.
Brian Allen was the first former player under McVay to join the staff. This will be his second season as an assistant offensive line coach under Ryan Wendell. Allen was a fourth round pick out of Michigan State in 2018, which was McVay’s second draft in Los Angeles. He was the starting center for the team’s 2021 Super Bowl victory.
It’s wild that McVay can still be one of the youngest coaches in the league yet still have a player undergo the full course of his professional career before joining the staff. McVay also has one of the most broad coaching trees in the NFL and nearly every franchise is looking to steal some of the Rams’ thunder from a coaching or front office perspective.
The second former player to join McVay’s staff is Robert Woods, who was one of the team’s first free agent signings during McVay’s debut offseason. Similar to Allen, Woods was on the roster for both of the team’s Super Bowl appearances in 2018 and 2021. Woods did not participate in the 2021 winning effort because he suffered a season-ending knee injury midseason.
Which McVay era players should be next?
Cory Littleton
Johnny Hekker
Both Littleton and Hekker were under the stewardship of vaunted special teams coach John Fassel. The Rams haven’t been able to figure out special teams since the departure of Fassel, and this could be a way to recapture some of the magic. Hekker is still an active player and joined the Vikings this offseason.
Cooper Kupp
It’s no secret that Cooper Kupp’s success in the NFL can be attributed more to his mental game rather than athletic gifts. Kupp is a unique player on the mental side of the game and would make for a very interesting coaching hire once his playing days are done.
Eric Weddle
Weddle rejoined the Rams ahead of the 2021 Super Bowl and following a major injury in the playoffs to safety Jordan Fuller. It’s clear that Weddle and McVay are aligned from a football perspective. The former pro is currently coaching at the high school level and is a popular name on the NFL rumor mill.
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