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- Who is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl?
- Youngest head coaches to win a Super Bowl
- Where does Mike Macdonald rank among youngest coaches to win a Super Bowl?
- Who is the youngest head coach to make the Super Bowl?
At just 38 years old, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald has already orchestrated a defensive masterclass to return his franchise to the mountaintop, but a victory on Sunday did more than just secure a second ring for the franchise —it etched his name into the record books.
With the Seahawks winning the the Lombardi Trophy, Macdonald becomes one of the youngest head coaches to ever win a Super Bowl. In a league that has spent the last decade hunting for the "next young genius," Macdonald’s rapid ascent from a defensive quality control coach to NFL history proves that the youth movement in Seattle is ahead of schedule.
Here's where Macdonald ranks among the youngest coaches to win the Super Bowl.
MORE: Ranking the best Seahawks of all time
Who is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl?
Sean McVay is the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl. He achieved this milestone on Feb. 13, 2022, when his Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56. At just 36 years and 20 days old, McVay broke the record previously held by Mike Tomlin.
Before he was hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, McVay had already become the youngest head coach ever hired in the modern era at age 30 and the youngest to lead a team to a Super Bowl appearance at age 33.
MORE: How Sean McVay went from NFL's youngest coach to Super Bowl champion
Youngest head coaches to win a Super Bowl
While Sean McVay is the youngest, there have been a number of coaches to win the Super Bowl before reaching the age of 50.
| Head Coach | Team | Super Bowl | Age |
| Sean McVay | Rams | 56 | 36 years, 20 days |
| Mike Tomlin | Steelers | 43 | 36 years, 323 days |
| Mike Macdonald | Seahawks | 60 | 38 years, 227 days |
| Jon Gruden | Buccaneers | 37 | 39 years, 162 days |
| John Madden | Raiders | 11 | 40 years, 274 days |
| Joe Gibbs | Redskins | 17 | 42 years, 66 days |
| Chuck Noll | Steelers | 9 | 43 years, 7 days |
| Don Shula | Dolphins | 7 | 43 years, 10 days |
| Tom Flores | Raiders | 15 | 43 years, 310 days |
| Mike Shanahan | Broncos | 32 | 45 years, 154 days |
| Bill Parcells | Giants | 21 | 45 years, 157 days |
| Mike Ditka | Bears | 20 | 46 years, 100 days |
| Sean Payton | Saints | 44 | 46 years, 40 days |
| Mike McCarthy | Packers | 45 | 47 years, 88 days |
| Tom Landry | Cowboys | 6 | 47 years, 127 days |
| Hank Stram | Chiefs | 4 | 47 years, 233 days |
| Mike Holmgren | Packers | 31 | 48 years, 225 days |
| Bill Cowher | Steelers | 40 | 48 years, 273 days |
| Bill Belichick | Patriots | 36 | 49 years, 293 days |
| Don McCafferty | Colts | 5 | 49 years, 305 days |
| Jimmy Johnson | Cowboys | 27 | 49 years, 320 days |
Macdonald is now the third-youngest coach to win a Super Bowl, doing so at only 38 years old.
MORE: Youngest NFL coaches in 2026
How old was Sean McVay when he won the Super Bowl?
McVay was 36 years and 20 days old when the Rams won Super Bowl 56, becoming the second team to ever win the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
Facing the Cincinnati Bengals, McVay managed a high-stakes chess match against his former protégé, Zac Taylor. Despite losing star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to an ACL injury mid-game and trailing 20–16 in the fourth quarter, McVay leaned on the chemistry between Matthew Stafford and Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp.
Cooper Kupp 8 REC, 92 YDS, 2 TDs vs CIN 2021 Super Bowl 56.pic.twitter.com/Owb6MF1mVe https://t.co/PRgE9IaJtU
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) January 29, 2026The game culminated in a clinical 15-play, 79-yard drive, during which McVay repeatedly called Kupp’s number, resulting in the game-winning touchdown with just 1:25 remaining. The victory was a massive vindication for McVay, coming three years after a stinging 13–3 loss to the Patriots in his first Super Bowl appearance.
MORE: Inside Sean McVay's playoff record
How old was Mike Tomlin when he won the Super Bowl?
Tomlin was 36 years and 323 days old when he led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl 43 on Feb. 1, 2009. At the time, he was the youngest head coach to ever win a title, a record he held for 13 years until McVay surpassed him in 2022.
Super Bowl 43 is remembered as one of the most dramatic games in NFL history. The first half concluded with arguably the greatest defensive play in Super Bowl lore: James Harrison’s 100-yard pick-six. With the Cardinals threatening to score at the goal line, Harrison intercepted Kurt Warner and rumbled the entire length of the field, collapsing into the end zone as time expired to give Pittsburgh a 17–7 lead.
However, the game’s legendary status was cemented in the final seconds. After Arizona surged back to take a late lead, Ben Roethlisberger led a clinical two-minute drill that ended with Santonio Holmes making an impossible toe-tap catch in the back corner of the end zone. Surrounded by three defenders, Holmes extended his arms to snatch the high pass while keeping both sets of toes on the grass by a fraction of an inch.
Santonio Holmes 9 REC, 131 YDS, 1 TD vs ARI 2008 Super Bowl 43.pic.twitter.com/3dHckY8ZD7 https://t.co/Zjloan4PiT
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) January 28, 2026The catch earned Holmes the Super Bowl MVP and secured the Steelers' record-breaking sixth Lombardi Trophy.
MORE: The last Steelers coach before Mike Tomlin
How old was Jon Gruden when he won the Super Bowl?
Gruden was 39 years and 162 days old when he won Super Bowl 37. At the time, he was the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl, holding the record for six years until Tomlin won with Pittsburgh.
Super Bowl 37 remains one of the most unique storylines in NFL history because it featured Gruden facing off against his former team, the Oakland Raiders. Just one year prior, the Buccaneers had acquired Gruden in a massive trade involving four draft picks and $8 million in cash.
Because Gruden had built the Raiders' roster and designed their offensive playbook, he reportedly played the role of the scout team quarterback during Super Bowl practices, perfectly mimicking Rich Gannon’s tendencies for his defense. The Buccaneers' defense intercepted Gannon five times (a Super Bowl record) and returned three of them for touchdowns in a 48-21 victory.
MORE: Everything to know about Jon Gruden's Raiders firing
How old was John Madden when he won the Super Bowl?
Madden was 40 years and 274 days old when he won Super Bowl 11 on Jan. 9, 1977.
At the time, he was the youngest head coach to ever win a Super Bowl, taking the title from Don Shula. Facing the Minnesota Vikings at the Rose Bowl, the Raiders put on a dominant display, setting a then-Super Bowl record with 429 yards of offense.
On this day 49 years ago, John Madden and the @Raiders defeated the Vikings in Super Bowl XI 🏆 (Jan. 9, 1977) pic.twitter.com/v0arNKUigP
— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2026The game is best remembered for the iconic image of Madden being carried off the field on his players' shoulders, a massive smile on his face as he secured the Lombardi Trophy. The victory was a total team effort, featuring Fred Biletnikoff's MVP performance and Willie Brown’s then-record 75-yard interception return for a touchdown.
MORE: NFL teams to never win the Super Bowl
Where does Mike Macdonald rank among youngest coaches to win a Super Bowl?
Macdonald became the third-youngest coach ever to hoist the trophy behind Sean McVay and Mike Tomlin.
Entering this Super Bowl, Macdonald had already tied McVay’s record for the most wins in a single season by an NFL coach under 40 (16 wins, including playoffs), and the victory in Santa Clara set a new record.
MORE: Sam Darnold's playoff record and stats
Who is the youngest head coach to make the Super Bowl?
Sean McVay holds the record for the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl and also holds the record for the youngest to ever make it to the big game.
McVay was only 33 years and 10 days old when he led the Los Angeles Rams to Super Bowl 53 in February 2019. Though the Rams lost that game 13–3 to the New England Patriots, he made history as the youngest coach to be on the sidelines.
He would avenge this loss three years later in Los Angeles, where the Rams won in their home stadium.
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