NFL Coaching Tree Takes Root: Rams’ Snead and McVay Face Former Proteges in London
the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars will face off at London’s Wembley Stadium this week, but the competition extends beyond the field. The game represents a collision of NFL coaching and management philosophies, as Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay prepare to compete against former members of their rapidly expanding professional “tree.”
The personal connection between Snead and Jaguars general manager James Gladstone adds another layer to the matchup. “I… you can’t shake hands before a game, okay? We’re trying to beat each other,” Snead said wiht a laugh during a recent interview.
This upcoming matchup is a testament to the success mcvay and Snead have cultivated over their nine seasons together. Their collaborative approach has not only yielded a Super Bowl victory but has also fostered a pipeline of talent now leading teams across the league. Coaches like Green Bay Packers’ Matt LaFleur, Cincinnati Bengals’ Zach Taylor, Minnesota Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell, and Atlanta Falcons’ Raheem Morris all honed their skills as assistants under McVay. Similarly, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes, a former protégé of Snead, has transformed the Lions into a formidable NFC contender since his hiring after the 2020 season.
The Jaguars’ leadership represents the latest branch of this coaching lineage. Head coach Liam Coyne previously served as an assistant receivers coach (2018-2019) and assistant quarterbacks coach (2020) under McVay before a stint as offensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky. He returned to the Rams as offensive coordinator in 2022 before being hired by Jacksonville in January of the previous year. Gladstone quickly made his mark, aggressively pursuing talent, including selecting cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter with the second overall pick in the draft.
Coyne’s impact on the Jaguars is already evident. “He is passionate,” McVay observed. “You can see that quarterback’s background. He has a fiery personality,but he also knows when to stay still. I think he picks and chooses his spots accordingly. But I think the most crucial thing is authenticity. That’s exactly what he did.”
The Jaguars’ success comes after a challenging 2023 season for the Rams, a “Super Bowl hangover” marked by critically important injuries to key players like quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp, and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, resulting in a 5-12 record. Despite the difficulties, McVay believes the experience fostered growth. “It’s been a tough year for us,” McVay acknowledged, “But even in this remarkably arduous year, there’s been a lot of growth. I think there’s been a lot of growth for all of us, personally and professionally. I think he’s been able to use some of that hurt to become stronger.”
Coyne echoed this sentiment, praising McVay for instilling a “positive mindset” within the Rams institution, even during adversity. “But the standards, the demands, the way he ultimately wants the team to play is also shown every week,” Coyne stated during a recent press conference. Gladstone, at 35, continues to build a competitive roster, with the trade deadline looming. snead initially hired Gladstone as a senior assistant in 2016, recognizing his potential early on. “You appreciate what the person thinks,” Snead explained. “Historically, we’ve worked a little bit hear in LA with people who say, ‘Wait a minute, they’re smart and they have a passion for football, they might not have any professional experience, but let’s put them on a bus, find them a seat and see where they go from there.'”
Ultimately, McVay and Snead take pride in seeing their former assistants flourish, with one caveat. “It’s always great to see people leveraging the foundation that we’ve worked with here,” Snead concluded, “but you also always see people going somewhere else and adding their own DNA or freedom to the way we’ve done it here, giving them a little more freedom to innovate in a diffrent direction.” This Sunday, that innovation will be on full display as the Rams and Jaguars battle it out on the international stage.
