John McVay, 49ers legendary executive and Hall of Fame inductee, dead at 91: ‘A class act’

Former San Francisco 49ers GM and New York Giants head coach, John McVay, died at 91 on Tuesday. 

McVay is a 49ers Hall of Fame inductee (2013) for his years of service from 1979-2003 that led to five Super Bowl titles. He also coached the Giants from 1976-1978. 

“This is a very sad day for our organization and the entire football community,” the 49ers said in an official statement. 

“John McVay was a driving force in constructing teams for our five Super Bowl titles,” the statement continued. “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.”

Giants co-owner John Mara also released a statement. 

“John is an outstanding executive and a class act,” he said. “He was a Hall of Famer in every regard, professionally and especially as a person.”

McVay was also the grandfather of Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. 

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“As I watch him – I wish we just had a camera on him, so I could not see anything else – he’s one of those head coaches who coaches everything,” John McVay said to The New York Post about his grandson. “A lot of guys say, ‘OK I’m just gonna concentrate on offense, or concentrate on defense,’ but he’s doing all sides of it. He’s full of energy. He’s a workaholic is what he is.”

The Rams released their own statement, talking about the impact Sean McVay’s grandfather had on him. 

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“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. “John’s legacy will live on forever and the marks he left on his family, our league, and our game will never be forgotten.”

John McVay was born Jan. 5, 1931 in Ohio, where he was a center during his high school football days in Massillon, which is a known football town. 

He was elected to the Massillon Hall of Fame in 1994.