Marist School alumnus named youngest head coach in NFL history

A graduate an Atlanta high school made NFL history on Thursday.

A graduate an Atlanta high school made NFL history on Thursday.

Sean McVay, a 2004 graduate of Marist School, was named head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. At 30, McVay becomes the youngest coach to ever lead a team.

Los Angeles Rams made NFL history with their coaching hire on Thursday.Former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, who was appointed to the position at 31 in 2007, was the previous holder of the title. McVay turns 31 on Jan. 24.

The Rams' deal with McVay is for five years, a person with knowledge of the contract told USA TODAY Sports' Tom Pelissero. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms had not been made public.

As offensive coordinator with Washington, McVay helped the Redskins finish with the No. 3 overall offense this season, his third as coordinator.

"This is an exciting day for the Los Angeles Rams as we welcome Sean McVay as our new head coach," Rams owner Stan Kroenke said in a release. "The accomplishments and success that he has rendered in less than a decade in our league are remarkable. I am confident in his vision to make this team a consistent winner and to ultimately bring a Super Bowl title home to Los Angeles."

While at Marist, McVay helped lead the team to the 2003 Class AAAA state championship title. He attended Miami University (Ohio) and began his coaching career in 2008 with Tampa Bay.

"Sean was and has been a very special part of the Marist’s ‘Long Blue Line’. We knew from the start he was going to do great things because of all the outstanding qualities he possessed," said Marist School head coach Alan Chadwick. "His knowledge of the game, outstanding character, leadership, competitiveness, and explosive skills made him an exceptional quarterback in our system. The Rams have chosen wisely and just added a great many supporters from the Marist War Eagle Nation."

Marist School Athletic Director Tommy Marshall also praised McVay's talents.

"Sean was one of our leaders at Marist as a student-athlete,” Marshall said. “As the starting quarterback on our football team, he was a great student of the game. He not only studied his position as quarterback, but he also knew what everyone else was supposed to do on any given play on offense. His servant leadership was certainly a major factor in our winning the 2003 state championship."

In Los Angeles, McVay will be faced with rebuilding an offense that ranked last in the NFL in each of the past two seasons. The Rams finished 4-12 and are without their first-round draft pick after trading up last year to select quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick.

McVay will have some veteran held on his staff, as Wade Phillips is joining the team as the defensive coordinator on a lucrative three-year deal, a person familiar with the move told USA TODAY Sports' Tom Pelissero. The person spoke on condition of anoymity because the move had not been announced.

Phillips previously led the Denver Broncos' defense, which finished fourth this season and first in its Super Bowl-winning 2015 campaign.

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