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Before, NFL head coaches were highly regarded individuals with decades of football wisdom. Their experience and accolades beget respect from the players they mentor, but as the game shifts and evolves, so are the qualifications for hiring coaches.
Nowadays, it doesn't necessarily apply that the most senior candidate gets the job. Given the proliferation of digital media, there's more to understanding players' mentality. Being adept with technology gives them all the information they need.
Younger coaches tick those boxes, and it's no secret why some teams have handed their franchises to these innovative minds. Hence, here are the youngest NFL head coaches in the 2023-24 season.
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NFL head coaches range from 37 to 72 years old
The 35-year gap between the youngest and the oldest head coach highlights that age is just a number. You can still run an NFL franchise if you are deemed good enough.
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These relatively young coaches' recent success makes them worthy of their roles. All of them also fall under the average age of head coaches at 42 years old.
Honorable Mentions - Jonathan Gannon and Mike McDaniel
While they are both 40, Gannon was born on Jan. 4, 1983, and is the Arizona Cardinals head coach. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator before taking the helm at Arizona.
Meanwhile, McDaniel was born on Mar. 6, 1983, and is the Miami Dolphins' head tactician. He was the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator before taking the more significant role in Miami.
1) Zac Taylor – 40 years old (born May 10, 1983)
The Cincinnati Bengals hired Taylor as their NFL head coach three months before his 36th birthday.
He was the Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach before joining the Ohio-based franchise. It's not his first time in Cincinnati because Tommy Tuberville hired him as the Bearcats offensive coordinator before joining the Rams.
Taylor guided the Bengals to consecutive AFC Championship Games in 2021 and 2022. They won the first one, giving them a Super Bowl LVI berth. However, they lost to his former team. Taylor also handled various coaching roles for the Miami Dolphins from 2012 to 2015.
2) DeMeco Ryans – 39 years old (born July 28, 1984)
The Houston Texans hired the former linebacker as the eighth head coach in franchise history (including interims). The former Alabama standout played six seasons for the Texans, earning one All-Pro and two Pro Bowl selections.
After retiring as a player, the 49ers hired him as a defensive quality control coach in 2017. He worked in the Bay Area for six seasons, filling the positions of inside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator.
The Niners' impressive performance on defense under his guidance prompted his former team to bring him back. His leadership led the Texans to an 8-6 record as of Week 15 of the 2023 season.
3) Shane Steichen – 38 years old (born May 11, 1985)
After his masterful job as Eagles offensive coordinator, the Indianapolis Colts hired Shane Steichen as head coach. His play-calling transformed the NFC East squad into a juggernaut, earning their way to a Super Bowl LVII berth.
Steichen has imparted the same footprint in Indianapolis, as they enjoy an 8-6 record despite injuries to Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor. Before joining the Eagles, he coached for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers from 2014 to 2020. He also had a one-year coaching stint with the Cleveland Browns (2013).
4) Kevin O'Connell – 38 years old (born May 25, 1985)
O'Connell was the offensive coordinator of the Rams team that beat Taylor and the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. The Minnesota Vikings hired him as head coach three days after winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy. He led the squad to the NFC North title in his first season courtesy of a 13-4 record.
However, their playoff run ended after the New York Giants beat them in the Wild Card Round. This season, O'Connell has the Vikings fighting for a playoff spot even without Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and Alexander Mattison.
Before joining the Rams, O'Connell had stints with the Browns, the 49ers, and the then-Washington Redskins (now Commanders).
5) Sean McVay – 37 years old (born January 24, 1986)
The Los Angeles Rams hired him as head coach when he was just 30. Having that head start makes him the youngest NFL head coach, even if he is the longest-tenured among the five on this list. Despite his youth, McVay already had eight years of coaching experience before joining the Rams.
McVay guided Los Angeles' NFC team to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one (LVI). The Rams also made four postseason appearances in his first six seasons. Before taking over the Rams, he coached for the Redskins with future head coaches Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, and Mike McDaniel.
He was also an offensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wide receivers coach for the United Football League's Florida Tuskers. Meanwhile, the Rams are at 7-7 as of Week 15 of the 2023 season.
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