Three things in life are inevitable: death, taxes, and the Los Angeles Rams getting their coaching staff pilfered by other teams every offseason.
Defensive coordinator Chris Shula is set to be one of the hottest names on the NFL’s head coaching carousel at the season’s conclusion. Most of the buzz is media driven, of course. But to me the more attractive option instead is offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Here’s why.
Look at the massive advantage the Rams gained by pairing Sean McVay with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford. When the head coach and quarterback marriage works, it can give your team a competitive edge for the next decade. There are other franchises that have captured this magic: Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes with the Chiefs, Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love in Green Bay, Sean Payton and Bo Nix for the Broncos, and Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy in San Francisco just to name a few.
It’s difficult to build sustainable success in the NFL. If you can pair a long-term quarterback with a high-level offensive play caller, you can bring stability to your team for years to come.
On the other hand, life is difficult for defensive head coaches. You can hire a good OC, but they will jump at the first opportunity for a promotion.