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'''John McVay''' (born January 5, 1931) is a former [[American football]] [[Coach (sport)|coach]] who rose through the coaching ranks from high school, through the college level, and to the [[NFL]]. Born in [[Bellaire, Ohio]], he played college football at [[Miami University]], starring as an [[offensive lineman]].

==Biography==
McVay coached at several Ohio high schools, [[Michigan State University]] as an assistant coach and then head coach at the [[University of Dayton]]. Born January 5, 1931. Attended college at Miami University.  Later became married with three boys. John McVay, Jim McVay, and Tim McVay.

===NFL career===
====Coaching====
He became the pro football head coach of the [[World Football League]] [[Memphis Southmen]] in 1974, the WFL's first season. His record at Memphis was 24-7. The league folded in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.helmethut.com/WFL/WFLSouthmanCsonka1.html |title=WFLSouthmanCsonka1 |accessdate=September 2, 2010}}</ref> In 1976 he went to the NFL [[New York Giants]] as an assistant coach and replaced fellow Miami alumnus [[Bill Arnsparger]] as the head coach when Arnsparger was fired at mid-season. 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 NFL season, most likely as the result of [[The Miracle at the Meadowlands|a famous loss to the Philadelphia Eagles]] on November 19, 1978.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/giants-broncos-super-bowl-xxi/ |title=Giants-Broncos, Super Bowl XXI |date=January 24, 2007|accessdate=September 2, 2010 | work=The New York Times | first=Toni | last=Monkovic}}</ref> (His headphones were not working during that part of the game; he later said that if he had heard of his offensive coordinator's call for a handoff, he would have overruled it.)

====Front office====
McVay moved on to an administrative position with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in 1980. He collaborated with head coach [[Bill Walsh (football 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://packersmix.com/2008/03/nfl-executive-of-year-list-of-winners.html |title=NFL Executive of the Year - List of Winner By Year |publisher=packersmix.com |accessdate=September 3, 2010}}</ref> He retired from the 49ers in 1996.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/McVaJo0.htm pro-football-reference.com]
* {{IMDb name|3068736}}

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{{succession box | title=[[San Francisco 49ers|San Francisco 49ers General Manager]] | before=[[Dwight Clark]] | years=1998&ndash;1999 | after=[[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]]}}
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{{Persondata
| NAME              =McVay, John
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American football player and coach
| DATE OF BIRTH     = January 5, 1931
| PLACE OF BIRTH    =
| DATE OF DEATH     =
| PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McVay, John}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Memphis Southmen]]
[[Category:Michigan State Spartans football coaches]]
[[Category:New York Giants coaches]]
[[Category:World Football League coaches]]
[[Category:Dayton Flyers football coaches]]
[[Category:People from Bellaire, Ohio]]
[[Category:Miami RedHawks football players]]
[[Category:National Football League general managers]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in the United States]]


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