A playoff institution once again, the Rams played in what ultimately became a 1990s-style de facto Super Bowl. While this year’s NFC championship went the Seahawks’ way, before Seattle thrashed an overmatched Patriots team in Super Bowl LX, this Rams nucleus extended its season by a week for the second straight year.
Los Angeles’ recent draft classes have done well to reopen the team’s Sean McVay-era Super Bowl window, after a disastrous Super Bowl LVI title defense brought a speedbump. This offseason will bring a good problem of sorts for McVay and GM Les Snead, with a strong 2023 draft class now extension-eligible. Without a fifth-year option on any of those picks, the Rams have work to do with a batch of young players. Oh, and another Matthew Stafford negotiation. That will also carve out some space on the PFR pages.
Coaching/front office:
Extended head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead
Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur became Cardinals’ head coach
Promoted pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as OC replacement
Hired Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator
Senior offensive assistant Alex Van Pelt hired as Falcons’ QBs coach
Added Kliff Kingsbury as assistant head coach; Brian Johnson hired as senior offensive assistant
Scheelhaase interviewed for Bills, Browns, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers’ HC jobs, withdrew from Raiders search
DC Chris Shula interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers’ HC jobs
Parted ways with DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant; Jimmy Lake named replacement
Hired Robert Woods as assistant WRs coach, Brian Allen as assistant O-line coach
Pleasant interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Raiders’ DC jobs
Assistant general manager John McKay interviewed for Dolphins’ GM job
Few HC hires in NFL history have been as transformative as the Rams’ 2017 McVay decision. The franchise had missed 12 straight playoff brackets, and the L.A. market was treated to a first-year dud as the Jeff Fisher era wrapped. McVay reinvigorated the relocated organization, and the Rams went 7-for-9 in postseason berths in the coach’s 30s. This included three NFC championship game cameos, two Super Bowl berths and the franchise’s first L.A. championship since 1951.
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