"If you want to understand why the Washington Commanders named 30-year-old David Blough as their new offensive coordinator, look no further than Declan Doyle. Doyle was hired by Chicago Bears' head coach Ben Johnson to serve as his offensive coordinator when he took over last year. He was 28 years old at the time. Or look down to the Carolina Panthers, where head coach Dave Canales brought in Brad Idzik as his offensive coordinator in 2024, who was 32. Clearly, there has been a recent shift toward younger coordinators."
"This isn't just about Quinn losing Matt LaFleur and Mike McDaniel during his time with the Atlanta Falcons. It's not even about Washington failing to benefit from the exceptional Mike Shanahan coaching tree after his departure. Blough's promotion signals a shift to the modern era. The league is undergoing a youth movement, and its coaches are not immune. In 2020, the average age of the 14 playoff quarterbacks was 32. That included six in their 20s, six in their 30s, and two - Tom Brady and Drew Brees - who were past 40. This year, those numbers have plummeted. The average starting playoff quarterback age is down four years to 28. Twelve of those signal callers have not yet turned 30."
Multiple NFL teams have recently hired offensive coordinators in their late 20s and early 30s, exemplified by David Blough at 30, Declan Doyle at 28, and Brad Idzik at 32. Those hires align with outcomes for teams led by very young quarterbacks such as Bryce Young and Caleb Williams, who have reached the playoffs under systems influenced by young coordinators. The league shows a clear youth movement: the average age of playoff starting quarterbacks fell from 32 in 2020 to 28 this year, with twelve starters still under 30, reflecting faster generational turnover among both players and coaches.
Read at Riggo's Rag
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