The Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay, who led the Rams to a 11-5 record and the NFC West title, was selected as the 2017 NFL Coach of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Philadelphia executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman, whose moves helped the Eagles earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a 13-3 record, was selected as the 2017 NFL Executive of the Year.
Minnesota offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who oversaw a Vikings offense that made plenty of big plays on the way to a 13-3 record and the NFC’s No. 2 seed, was selected as the 2017 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
The Rams returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2003 as the club completed one of the quickest turnarounds in NFL history, going from the 32nd-ranked scoring team during 2016 to the league’s top scoring team in the first year under McVay’s leadership. Thanks to PFWA NFL Offensive Player of the Year, running back Todd Gurley, and five others on the PFWA’s All-NFL team: offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, placekicker Greg Zuerlein, punter Johnny Hekker and kickoff returner Pharoh Cooper, along with PFWA All-Rookie team wide receiver Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles earned the NFC’s No. 3 seed. The Rams had the second-highest margin of victory in the NFL (18.91), and posted 30-point-plus efforts against all three NFC West opponents in 2017. The 31-year-old McVay became the youngest head coach to lead a playoff team in NFL history.
This the first PFWA NFL Coach of the Year honor for McVay and the third Coach of the Year honor for the Rams’ franchise. Chuck Knox was the NFC Coach of the Year in 1973 (the PFWA selected separate AFL/NFL and AFC/NFC winners from 1967-89), and Dick Vermeil was the NFL Coach of the Year in 1999.
The Eagles improved from back-to-back 7-9 records in 2015 and 2016 to a 13-3 mark this season as Philadelphia returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Roseman has overseen the reshaping of a roster that included two separate trades that helped Philadelphia move up to select 2017 PFWA All-NFC team quarterback Carson Wentz in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, another trade that yielded 2017 first-round pick, defensive end Derek Barnett, who earned 2017 PFWA All-Rookie team honors, and solidified the team’s core by retaining key veterans. Prior to the 2017 season, he added to the team through free agency as the Eagles signed quarterback Nick Foles, defensive end Chris Long and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and made a pair of trades that netted defensive tackle Tim Jernigan and cornerback Ronald Darby. The Eagles also had three 2017 PFWA All-NFL selections: center Jason Kelce, offensive tackle Lane Johnson and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.
Roseman is the first member of the Eagles organization to earn the PFWA’s NFL Executive of the Year award since it was established in 1993.
Shurmur took over as Vikings offensive coordinator in 2017 after serving in that role on an interim basis over the final nine games of 2016. The Vikings offense finished 11th in the NFL in yards per game (358.9), had 68 plays of 20-plus yards (seventh in the league), including 15 on the ground, and had 12 scoring drives of 80-plus yards, eight more than in 2016. Minnesota was one of the most-consistent offensive units in the league, thanks to quarterback Case Keenum, who stepped into the starting role for 14 games and completed 67.6 percent of his passes (second in the NFL), threw for 22 touchdowns against only seven interceptions and had a career-best 98.3 passer rating. Wide receiver Adam Thielen was fifth in the league with 1,276 receiving yards and eighth in the NFL in receptions (91). Running backs Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray filled the void left by rookie starting running back Dalvin Cook, who was lost for the season with an injury, helping the Vikings RB group totaled 2,461 yards from scrimmage this season, the 4th-highest total among all RB groups in 2017, and improved by over 700 rushing yards from 2016. The offensive group was also helped by PFWA All-Rookie team center Pat Elflein.
Shurmur is the second Vikings assistant to win the PFWA award established in 1993, joining Brian Billick (1998).
2017 COACH OF THE YEAR: Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
2017 EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles
2017 ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: Pat Shurmur, Minnesota Vikings
PFWA NFL COACH OF THE YEAR: 1966– Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys; 1967 AFL – John Rauch, Oakland Raiders; 1967 NFL – Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers; 1968 AFL – Weeb Ewbank, New York Jets; 1968 NFL – Don Shula, Baltimore Colts; 1969 AFL – John Madden, Oakland Raiders; 1969 NFL – Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings; 1970 AFC – Paul Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; 1970 NFC – Dick Nolan, San Francisco 49ers; 1971 AFC – Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; 1971 NFC – George Allen, Washington Redskins; 1972 AFC – Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; 1972 NFC – Dan Devine, Green Bay Packers; 1973 AFC – John Ralston, Denver Broncos; 1973 NFC – Chuck Knox, Los Angeles Rams; 1974 AFC – Sid Gilman, Houston Oilers; 1974 NFC – Don Coryell, St. Louis Cardinals; 1975 AFC – Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts; 1975 NFC – Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys; 1976 AFC – Chuck Fairbanks, New England Patriots; 1976 NFC – Jack Pardee, Chicago Bears; 1977 AFC – Red Miller, Denver Broncos; 1977 NFC – Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; 1978 AFC – Walt Michaels, New York Jets; 1978 NFC – Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles; 1979 AFC – Don Coryell, San Diego Chargers; 1979 NFC – Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles; 1980 AFC – Chuck Knox, Buffalo Bills; 1980 NFC – Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; 1981 AFC – Forrest Gregg, Cincinnati Bengals; 1981 NFC – Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers; 1982 AFC – Tom Flores, Los Angeles Raiders; 1982 NFC – Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins; 1983 AFC – Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1983 NFC – Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins; 1984 AFC – Chuck Knox, Seattle Seahawks; 1984 NFC – Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers; 1985 AFC – Raymond Berry, New England Patriots; 1985 NFC – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears; 1986 AFC – Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland Browns; 1986 NFC – Bill Parcells, New York Giants; 1987 AFC – Ron Meyer, New England Patriots; 1987 NFC – Jim Mora, New Orleans Saints; 1988 AFC – Sam Wyche, Cincinnati Bengals; 1988 NFC – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears; 1989 AFC – Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1989 NFC – Lindy Infante, Green Bay Packers; 1990 – Art Shell, Los Angeles Raiders; 1991 – Wayne Fontes, Detroit Lions; 1992 – Bobby Ross, San Diego Chargers; 1993 – Dan Reeves, New York Giants; 1994 – Bill Parcells, New England Patriots; 1995 – Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers; 1996 – Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers; 1997 – Jim Fassel, New York Giants; 1998 – Dan Reeves, Atlanta Falcons; 1999 – Dick Vermeil, St. Louis Rams; 2000 – Jim Haslett, New Orleans Saints; 2001 – Dick Jauron, Chicago Bears; 2002 – Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles; 2003 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2004 – Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego Chargers; 2005 – Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears; 2006 – Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints; 2007 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2008 – Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins; 2009 – Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals; 2010 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2011 – Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 – Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; 2014 – Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals; 2015 – Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; 2016 – Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 – Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams.
PFWA EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: 1993 – George Young, New York Giants; 1994 – Carmen Policy, San Francisco 49ers; 1995 – Bill Polian, Carolina Panthers; 1996 – Bill Polian, Carolina Panthers; 1997 – George Young, New York Giants; 1998 – Front Office, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2000 – Randy Mueller, New Orleans Saints; 2001 – Charley Armey, St. Louis Rams; 2002 – Al Davis, Oakland Raiders; 2003 – Scott Pioli, New England Patriots; 2004 – A.J. Smith, San Diego Chargers; 2005 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2006 – Mickey Loomis, New Orleans Saints; 2007 – Scott Pioli, New England Patriots; 2008 – Bill Parcells, Miami Dolphins; 2009 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2010 – Scott Pioli, Kansas City Chiefs; 2011 – Trent Baalke, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 – Ryan Grigson, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – John Dorsey, Kansas City Chiefs; 2014 – Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys; 2015 – Mike Maccagnan, New York Jets; 2016 – Reggie McKenzie, Oakland Raiders; 2017 – Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles.
PFWA ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: 1993 – Ray Rhodes, Green Bay Packers; 1994 – Dom Capers, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1995 – Pete Carroll, San Francisco 49ers; 1996 – Dave Campo, Dallas Cowboys; 1997 – John Fox, New York Giants; 1998 – Brian Billick, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 – Dom Capers, Jacksonville Jaguars; 2000 – Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals; 2001 – Mike Mularkey, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2002 – Monte Kiffin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2003 – Romeo Crennel, New England Patriots; 2004 – Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2005 – Ron Rivera, Chicago Bears; 2006 – Rex Ryan, Baltimore Ravens; 2007 – Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; 2008 – Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2009 – Mike Zimmer, Cincinnati Bengals; 2010 – Marty Mornhinweg, Philadelphia Eagles; 2011 – Wade Phillips, Houston Texans; 2012 – Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – Ken Whisenhunt, San Diego Chargers; 2014 – Todd Bowles, Arizona Cardinals; 2015 – (tie) Hue Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals and Wade Phillips, Denver Broncos; 2016 – Kyle Shanahan, Atlanta Falcons; 2017– Pat Shurmur, Minnesota Vikings.
