‘This Is An Amazing Day’: Sean McVay Unveils His Cradle Of Coaches Statue

On Saturday, Sean McVay (class of ’08) became the most recent coach honored with a bronze statue in the Cradle of Coaches Plaza on the south end of Miami University’s Yager Stadium. He joins a legendary coaching group of Ara Parseghian, Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, John Harbaugh, John Pont, Carm Cozza, Bo Schembechler, Red Blaik and Paul Dietzel.

"To be inducted into the Cradle of Coaches, it really means a lot to me," McVay said.

The ceremony kicked off at the top of the afternoon, accompanied by sunshine. The public event included remarks from Miami broadcaster Steve Baker, President Greg Crawford, Cradle of Coaches Committee chairperson Lori Brown, Director of Athletics David Sayler, sculptor Kristen Visbal and McVay himself.

“This is really special,” McVay said. “You always talk about people make the place special, and being back here is a great reminder of what a blessing it was to spend four years here.”

McVay was a wide receiver at Miami. As a RedHawk, the three-year letterwinner helped the program earn Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division titles in 2004, 2005 and 2007. He earned Miami’s Scholar Athlete Award as a senior.

Since graduating from Miami University in 2008, McVay has had a historic rise through the coaching ranks. At age 30, he was named head coach of the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, becoming the youngest head coach in NFL history.

McVay instantly found success at the helm of the Rams. At age 31, he became the youngest head coach to receive the AP NFL Coach of the Year award. In 2022, his team won it all with a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

At 36, he was also the youngest head coach to win the game.

In seven seasons as the Rams’ head coach, McVay has produced a winning record of 67-41, three division titles and two Super Bowl appearances.

Before joining the Rams, McVay started his coaching journey right out of college as a receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the UFL’s Florida Tuskers. In 2010, he joined the Washington Commanders organization, working his way up from an offensive assistant to offensive coordinator in four years.

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McVay credits his success to the people he has been around. He especially thanks his grandfather, John McVay (‘52), for where he is in his career.

John McVay won five Super Bowls with various roles in the San Francisco 49ers organization. McVay credits his grandfather’s relationships in the league as to why he was able to get his start.

“I continue to say that it’s about the people that you are around,” McVay said. “I was so fortunate, and it all goes back to my grandfather, John McVay, where starting with him and the legacy that he established. I got a lot of opportunities that I probably did not deserve because of the relationships that he developed with people in the football industry.”

John McVay passed away last year. In his remembrance, an empty chair was reserved for him at the ceremony. With 82 honorees, the McVays are the first family members to be inducted into the Cradle of Coaches Association.

"When I think about my grandfather's seat right there, I think about Love and Honor and how much he epitomized those things," McVay said.

The values of lLove and hHonor are ones that McVay holds close to him. He believes the culture that the values instill makes the university special and will help the community continue to grow.

"Oxford is a special place with great tradition," McVay said. "It's only going to continue to grow from here, and you see all the people that have had positive influences. So, let's go, Miami!"

@stevenpepper38

pepperse@miamioh.edu