John McVay obit

John McVay, Key Figure in the Making of a 49ers Dynasty, Dies at 91

He rebounded from the humiliation of “the fumble” as coach of the ’78 New York Giants to help San Francisco win five Super Bowls over 14 seasons as a top team executive.

 

He was not on the list.

John McVay, the executive who helped launch the San Francisco 49ers dynasty and grandfather of Rams coach Sean McVay, has died. He was 91.

The 49ers announced Tuesday that McVay had died. They did not give a cause of death.

McVay spent 22 seasons with the 49ers starting in 1979 in various capacities. He played an integral role along with coach Bill Walsh in building one of the league’s greatest dynasties that won five Super Bowl titles in a span of 14 seasons.

“This is a very sad day for our organization and the entire football community,” the team said in a statement. “John McVay was a driving force in constructing teams for our five Super Bowl titles. Most importantly, John was a Hall of Fame person who built genuine and sincere relationships with front office staff, coaches and players. John’s commitment and contributions to the 49ers created the standard and tradition we strive to carry on today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the McVay family.”

McVay was inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame in 2013, and the team dedicated its draft room as the “John McVay Draft Room” in his honor in 2016.

McVay originally joined the Niners in 1979 with Walsh as the director of player personnel. Over the next 17 seasons he had various titles including general manager and director of football operations. He played a role in building the NFL’s model organization with players like Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Steve Young.

McVay was named The Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year in 1989 following the team’s fourth Super Bowl title. After retiring following the 1995 season, he later re-joined the organization officially in 1999 and served as vice president and director of football operations through the 2003 season.

Before joining the 49ers, McVay was the head coach of the Giants for two-plus seasons. He had a 14-23 record for New York and his most memorable game featured a late fumble by Joe Pisarcik when the Giants could have kneeled out the clock. Herm Edwards returned it for a winning TD for Philadelphia in a 19-17 win on Nov. 19, 1978, that is now known as the “Miracle at the Meadowlands.”

McVay’s grandson, Sean, followed him into the NFL and became head coach of the Niners’ NFC West rival, the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. Sean McVay has been to two Super Bowls and won his first title and the sixth for the family last season.

“John was such an instrumental influence on Sean and his leadership qualities permeate our entire organization through the relationship he had with his grandson,” the Rams said in a statement. “John’s legacy will live on forever and the marks he left on his family, our league, and our game will never be forgotten.”

Born in Bellaire, Ohio, McVay later moved to Massillon where he played high school football for Massillon Washington High School and was named second-team All-Ohio. McVay played college football at Miami University. He later married and had three boys, John, Jim, and Tim. His grandson, Sean McVay, son of Tim, is currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.

 

McVay coached at several Ohio high schools, Michigan State University as an assistant coach, and then head coach at the University of Dayton.

McVay became the head coach of the World Football League Memphis Southmen (also known as the Memphis Grizzlies) in 1974, the WFL's first season. His record at Memphis was 24–7; the league folded in 1975. In 1976, he went to the NFL New York Giants as an assistant coach of research and development under fellow Miami alumnus Bill Arnsparger. After opening with seven losses, Arnsparger was fired in late October and McVay was promoted. From 1976 to 1978, McVay struggled with a franchise in transition. His first NFL season included a roster with three rookie quarterbacks. His contract with the Giants was not renewed after the 1978 season, most likely as the result of a famous loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on November 19.

McVay moved on to an administrative position with the San Francisco 49ers in 1980. He collaborated with head coach Bill Walsh in one of the most successful dynasties in NFL history. As vice president/director of football operations, he presided over five Super Bowl-winning seasons. He was named NFL Executive of the Year in 1989. He retired from the 49ers in 1996. But when the franchise was transferred from Eddie DeBartolo Jr. to his sister, Denise, the York family wanted a steady hand like McVay's in the front office during the transition. McVay agreed to come back in 1998 and stayed for five more years.