Just a few years ago, it seemed many folks were sneering at the new wave of hiring young offensive coaches in the mold of Rams head coach Sean McVay. Names like Packers head coach Matt LeFleur, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and, of course, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who was McVay’s quarterbacks coach before landing in Cincinnati.
That new wave has taken on a new level and Taylor is now a part of history as a result. Taylor (38 years old) and McVay (36) are now set to meet in what will be the youngest coaching matchup in Super Bowl history.
Sean McVay and Zac Taylor are making history 😮 pic.twitter.com/AQNK3oHuy4
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 1, 2022
Taylor can become the second-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl, while McVay would be the youngest. That title currently belongs to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who was 36 years and about 11 months old when he led the Steelers to a win in Super Bowl XLIII. McVay just turned 36 on January 24. Taylor would be two years younger than Jon Gruden was when the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII.
These guys are also younger than the three offensive head coaches that have been hired during this coaching cycle. New Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is the youngest at 42, new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is 45 and new Giants head coach Brian Daboll is 46. New Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, with a defensive background, is 51.
