Commanders boast 3 of NFL’s rising 50 under 40

When the Los Angeles Rams hired Sean McVay as their head coach in 2017, he became the youngest head coach in the NFL at the age of 30. His hiring sparked a league-wide wake-up call that there are more young people who are capable of making an impact in the NFL than most realize. To that end, The Athletic created its top 40 under 40 in 2020, which is the result of younger hiring trends across the league.

This year, The Athletic released its top 50 under 40 list, which includes rising coaches, executives, personalities, and other personnel who significantly impact the NFL. The Washington Commanders boast two coaches and an executive on this list:

David Blough, Assistant Quarterbacks Coach

“The 29-year-old Purdue product bounced around the NFL as a backup quarterback before connecting with Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona. He then followed Kingsbury to Washington, where he assisted Kingsbury, Brian Johnson and quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard with the development of Jayden Daniels. Kingsbury described Blough as “one of the brightest quarterbacks I’ve ever been around,” and praises his rapport with his players, his insight and communication skills. Blough received interest from Aaron Glenn and the Jets about their quarterbacks coach opening, but the Commanders blocked Blough from interviewing, viewing him as a valuable piece of their quarterback room and with potential to rise through the ranks of their organization.”

Blough’s football IQ exceeds his football ability, and that’s okay. His experience as a player might have been brief, but it is enough for him to relate to the younger players and help them acclimate to the league, which is exactly what he did with Jayden Daniels. And his ability to connect with players and provide valuable insights to the team will be an asset to Washington for years to come.

Brian Johnson, Assistant Head Coach/Offense

“The former Utah quarterback spent 11 seasons in the college ranks before joining the Philadelphia Eagles as quarterbacks coach in 2021 and 2022 and offensive coordinator in 2023. Johnson moved to the Washington Commanders’ staff as assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator last season. There, he joined forces with Kliff Kingsbury to help guide Jayden Daniels to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in a season in which Washington won 12 games and reached the NFC Championship Game after fielding one of the top offenses in the league. Kingsbury may depart for a head coaching job in the next hiring cycle. Johnson would likely succeed him as OC if he doesn’t get snatched up by another team.”

After just one season with the Commanders and their success with Jayden Daniels, the Houston Texans came knocking and interviewed Johnson for their vacant offensive coordinator position. The Texans ended up going in a different direction, but Johnson is certainly catching the eye of teams around the league.

Brandon Sosna, Senior VP of Football Operations

“After holding a variety of administrative jobs with college programs like the Cincinnati Bearcats and USC Trojans, Sosna joined the Detroit Lions as senior director of football administration in 2022. After two years, he moved to Washington, where as senior vice president of football operations, Sosna serves as lead contract negotiator. Sosna also oversees Washington’s analytics, health and performance departments while also taking part in aspects of the team’s business operations.”

Sosna joined the Commanders in 2024, like most of the coaching staff and other executives. He worked closely with Adam Peters and Dan Quinn, among others, to ensure that the Commanders not only brought in the right players but that the money made sense, too. He’s been involved in several things in Washington, gaining some experience and piquing the interest of other NFL teams that may want to bring him on in the future.