NFL Packers announce Mike McCarthy as head coach.

The Green Bay Packers announce Mike McCarthy as head coach.

McCarthy, had been San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator for one season, before taking over the vacancy left by Mike Sherman's dismissal.

The 42-year-old McCarthy, has also served as the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints from 2000-04, is now the youngest head coach in the NFL, nearly three months younger than Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden.

McCarthy returns to the team where he spent the 1999 season as the club's quarterbacks coach, and during his spell the Packers were ranked seventh in the NFL in passing and ninth overall in total offense, but only produced an 8-8 record under head coach Ray Rhodes.

Quarterback Brett Favre, though, struggled under McCarthy's direction completing only 22 touchdown passes, and turning in a massive 23 interceptions. Favre did pass for 4,091 yards his third-highest career total despite playing much of the season with a sprained thumb on his throwing hand.

Mike Sherman was consigned to the jobless que after the Packers finished 4-12 this season Green Bay's worst finish since also going 4-12 in 1991.

Sherman coached the Packers for six seasons and won three NFC North Division titles while reaching the playoffs four times.

Sherman could consider himself a touch unlucky having to deal with a contract ordeal in the offseason with wide receiver Javon Walker, who was then lost during the season to injury, while top running back Ahman Green also went down with a season long injury and even veteran Favre in what most see as his final season in NFL struggled.