Sean McVay - Pro Football Rumors

TV Networks Interested In Sean McVay

January 5th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Amazon and FOX made pushes for Sean McVay last year. McVay passed and signed a new Rams deal, but networks are circling again.

NFL TV intend to pursue McVay as an in-game analyst or a studio presence, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. This comes near the end of a Rams season that skidded off track quickly. Last week, the Rams became the first defending Super Bowl champion to lose 11 games.

Networks have eyed McVay for years, per McCarthy. The 36-year-old coach has a relationship with Al Michaels, who left NBC to lead Amazon’s Thursday-night coverage this year. The streaming service went with Kirk Herbstreit to team with Michaels this season, but it offered McVay a $20MM-per-year deal to jump to the booth. At the time, that was more than double McVay’s Rams contract. 49ers GM John Lynch also turned down a massive raise to move to Amazon.

Sean Payton did leave and join FOX. Though, the longtime Saints coach appears ready to re-enter his former profession. FOX also reached an agreement with Tom Brady — a 10-year, $375MM accord — for the Buccaneers quarterback to step into the network’s lead analyst role when he retires. Brady said recently a second retirement will be his last, but he is not certain to be ready for the booth venture this year.

A year later, McVay may be more receptive to a booth sabbatical. The Rams battled incessant injury problems this season, which will end with Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford on the sidelines. The defending Super Bowl champs rearmed themselves for a repeat, bringing Donald back into the fold via a landmark raise and extending both Kupp and Stafford. McVay called the Rams’ 2022 season “very humbling” this week.

Networks intend to roll out a red carpet for McVay, per McCarthy, even if the sixth-year Rams HC would want to join a three-person booth — a la Bruce Arians in 2018 — or work part-time as a studio analyst. Since Tony Romo‘s whopping CBS extension (worth $17.5MM per year) moved the goal posts for TV analysts, certain coaches are facing more complicated decisions on staying in the game or stepping into the media realm. McVay would certainly not be the first young-ish coach to leave football, though he is much younger than Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden or Dick Vermeil were when they left the profession initially.

The Rams ranked as the NFL’s worst passing offense in 2016; the McVay hire revived the team and did plenty for the league’s latest Los Angeles foray. The Rams are 4-for-6 in playoff berths under McVay and have qualified for two Super Bowls, but the perennially all-in team’s injury problems and perpetual lack of a first-round pick — this year’s goes to the Lions — will test McVay and GM Les Snead‘s ability to pick up the pieces this time around. If McVay walks, Snead will be tasked with replacing one of this era’s top offensive minds. That could set the Rams back significantly.

Sean McVay On Matthew Stafford’s Preseason Injury, 2023 Outlook

December 6th, 2022 at 12:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Rams have little to play for in the remaining weeks of the 2022 season, one in which the team has fallen well short of expectations. They will all-but assuredly not have their starting quarterback available again this year due to his most recent injury, but one dating back to the summer was named as part of the reason for the defending champions’ struggles.

When speaking to the media, head coach Seam McVay was asked about Stafford’s preseason elbow injury. That ailment left him sidelined for much of the summer, and limited his ability to work with the rest of the team during training camp; both he and the team, however, repeatedly played down the significance of the injury with respect to his ability to perform during the regular season. McVay struck a markedly different tone when reflecting on the issue, though.

“I definitely think it had an impact because you talk about rapport, establishing a rapport, a rhythm, a comfort not only with, everybody wants to talk about he and [wide receiver] Cooper [Kupp], but even just some of the newer pieces,” McVay said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I think it definitely had an impact without a doubt.”

Stafford played through the lingering effects of the elbow injury throughout the year, as the Rams’ offense was decimated by injuries up front and struggled to establish any consistency amongst its playmakers aside from Kupp. He missed Weeks 10 and 12 while in the league’s concussion protocol, and has ultimately been placed on IR. That leaves him eligible to return no sooner than Week 17, making it quite possible the former Lion joins Kupp and Aaron Donald in being shut down until 2023.

On that point, McVay further pointed to Stafford’s campaign being over. He said the expectation is that his latest injury – a spinal cord contusion – will not be long-term, and should allow for a “healthy offseason” (Twitter link via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic). With Stafford sidelined, Los Angeles will likely rely on John Wolford as their starter, barring the acquisition of a veteran like the recently-waived Baker Mayfield.

Given the substantial investment the Rams made in Stafford this past offseason, approaching the coming months with caution would come as little surprise. A return to health would bode well for the team in 2023, and allow them to avoid a repeat of this summer’s issues which played out over the course of a lost season.

Rams Extend GM Les Snead

September 8th, 2022 at 12:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the offseason, new deals were expected to be finalized for Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead. Per a team announcement on Thursday, both are indeed set to remain with the team for years to come.

McVay had already confirmed his new deal one month ago, and he made it clear at that time that an announcement regarding Snead would be forthcoming. With the Rams’ title defense beginning in a matter of hours, many expected that announcement to come today. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the pair are now on the books through the 2026 season.

To no surprise, both McVay and Snead are now thought to be among the league’s highest-paid at their respective positions. The Rams have seen consistent success during their time guiding the franchise, including last season’s Super Bowl win. That has come during Snead’s increasing reliance on his unorthodox roster-building strategy of forgoing premium draft picks in return for proven commodities at important positions (including, most notably, quarterback Matthew Stafford).

Los Angeles has not made a first-round selection since 2016, and does not own one until 2024. Still, the effectiveness of the 51-year-old’s actions led to joint extensions for both he and McVay in 2019. Another set of deals keeping them together was widely expected to be the team’s preference, and became possible once the latter confirmed that he would continue coaching in lieu of a broadcasting career.

Snead has held his current title since 2012, ranking him in the top-10 with respect to the NFL’s longest-tenured GMs. He will look to continue climbing the ladder in that regard, while seeking continuity on the roster he has molded into a champion. Much of that has already been taken care of, with new deals being signed in recent months by Stafford, defensive tackle Aaron Donald and receiver Cooper Kupp.

The long-term future of the organization has been questioned by some given the ‘all-in’ nature of Snead’s moves. Further titles remain possible for at least the next few years, however, and he will still be at the helm if/when the team’s Super Bowl window closes given today’s news.

Sean McVay Confirms Rams Extension

August 9th, 2022 at 10:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Amidst the several headline-grabbing financial moves the Rams have made this offseason, it has been widely expected that a new deal for head coach Sean McVay was among the team’s priorities. He confirmed on Tuesday that a new contract has indeed been agreed upon (Twitter link via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic).

McVay made the announcement during a press conference; details on the length and value of the deal are still unknown, and likely will be for some time. He added that the team will wait to officially announce it until an extension with general manager Les Snead is finalized, tweets NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“Les and I have always been a pair,” McVay said, via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “We wanted to be able to announce that when both of us [had] gotten done. Mine is done. Les is in the process of that.”

The 36-year-old recently spoke about his decision to decline a broadcasting deal and remain on the sidelines with the defending champions. The possibility of his departure loomed over their Super Bowl victory, but McVay had two years remaining on his contract before today’s news. He has also widely been expected to receive a substantial raise from the $8.5MM annual value of his old pact.

Likewise, it comes as little surprise that McVay and Snead will be re-upped simultaneously. The two signed joint extensions in 2019, and have achieved significant success together. A new contract for Snead was considered an inevitability once those of Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp were taken care of. McVay’s remarks point to both extensions being made official in the near future.

With much of their championship core still intact from last season, the Rams are contenders to repeat in 2022. With McVay (and, all-but assuredly, Snead) remaining at the helm for several years into the future, their intermediate future looks positive as well.

Latest On Aaron Donald’s Playing Future

July 31st, 2022 at 2:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Among the many moves made this offseason by the Rams was a re-working of Aaron Donald‘s contract. No new years were added to his existing pact, but the future Hall of Famer received a record-setting raise in the process.

That provided more clarity on Donald’s immediate playing future – something which was in question especially after the Rams won the Super Bowl, and has been speculated on in conjunction with that of head coach Sean McVay. Recent comments from the d-lineman confirm that their football fates are in fact intertwined.

When asked if he still would have played in 2022 had McVay stepped aside in favor of a broadcasting role, Donald said (via NFL.com’s Bobby Kownack), “not at all. I told Sean when he first got here. We came up with some things early and I first told him as long as he’s the head coach here, I want to continue to build my legacy with him. As long as he’s here and I got the ability to still play at a high level, I’m going to be here.”

McVay will coach for at least the upcoming season, though progress is being made on an extension which will keep him in the fold for several years beyond that. The end of his Rams tenure could very easily be the end of Donald’s as well, though, as he also said, “when [McVay’s] gone and it’s all said and done, that probably will be when I’m hanging it up, too.”

Donald, 31, is under contract for another two years, but he has hardly slowed down with age. Now the league’s highest-paid non-QB under his new deal, he is set to earn $95MM over that term. McVay is likewise in line for a raise when his extension is finalized, setting the pair up to continue the success they have enjoyed together. How long they will remain in their current positions will be a consistent storyline in the short- and medium-term future.

Latest On Sean McVay Contract Talks

July 30th, 2022 at 9:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Rams’ Super Bowl win came amidst questions regarding Sean McVay’s future on the sidelines. Those have been put to rest in the short-term, but his contract status remains an important talking point for the defending champions.

Part of the speculation surrounding the 36-year-old’s intentions sprung from the possibility that he would walk away from the sidelines in favor of a media career. As he recounted recently, conversations with quarterback Matt Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp helped convince him to remain in the position which has delivered unprecedented success.

“It was really when those guys came in, and I could see how genuine and authentic it was,” McVay said, via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “That was when I looked them in the eye and said, I’m not doing that” in reference to leaving the team to pursue a media role. “I think more than anything, all the emotions that are released when you’re able to [win a Super Bowl], and you’ve got other opportunities, it’s like… ‘that’s an exciting option.’

“But when you really sit down and think about it, the things I love most about coaching… it’s the amount of people that would potentially be affected… I love coaching. I love working with guys. I love being in the foxhole with the players and coaches. And you can’t mimic and emulate that in a media job.”

McVay’s current deal runs through 2023, but he has long been expected to receive an extension (along with, presumably, a significant raise from his $8.5MM salary). Finalizing a new contract this offseason was essentially deemed an inevitability in March by COO Kevin Demoff. That still hasn’t happened yet, but progress is being made.

McVay is presently feeling “really good” about contract talks, adding that he considers it “more than likely” his extension will be hammered out before the start of the season (Twitter links via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop). Not surprisingly, he adds that the term on his new deal will align with that of GM Les Snead; the two signed joint extensions in 2019.

The Rams have taken care of the contracts for several notable players, including Stafford, Kupp and Aaron Donald already this offseason. More work remains on that front, but the team’s head coach and general manager should be on the books for the foreseeable future by the time their title defense commences.

Rams HC Sean McVay Has Regrets Over Handling Of Jared Goff Trade

June 30th, 2022 at 7:28pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a bit more than a year since Jared Goff was sent packing to Detroit. Things worked out well for the Rams; trade acquisition Matthew Stafford helped guide the organization to a Super Bowl championship. The front office obviously has no regrets with how things turned out, but Sean McVay recently admitted that he’d like a re-do when it comes to how he handled the trade with his former starting QB.

During an appearance on Mike Silver’s Open Mike podcast, McVay said he could have done a better job of communicating the team’s intentions at quarterback to Goff.

“That was a hard thing for me because the thing that’s more important than anything is being a good communicator — clear, open, and honest. Making sure people aren’t caught off guard and really having respect for the players and the coaches for what they have to do. And I wish that there had been better in-person communication,” McVay said (h/t to Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “The one thing that hurt me is that I would never want anything to be misunderstood about my appreciation, my respect for Jared. Was it a tough decision? Yes. Were there some things that I could’ve handled better in terms of the clarity provided for him? No doubt.

“If I had it over again, what I would do is, before I had even gone to Cabo, when there was a possibility of, alright, if Matthew Stafford’s available, if there’s other quarterbacks available, that would be something that we would explore — you sit down with him, you look him in the eye, you tell him that instead of calling him and setting up a meeting where that was my intention when I got back from Cabo.”

At one time, it would have been crazy to suggest that the Rams would move on from Goff. The 2016 first-overall pick earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2017 and 2018, and he made it to the Super Bowl during that latter season. Following that Super Bowl loss, the Rams signed Goff to a four-year, $134MM extension, with the $100MM in guaranteed money setting a then-record. Indeed, it seemed like the Rams and McVay were fully committed to their starting QB.

However, after averaging 12 wins between the 2017 and 2018 campaigns, the Rams averaged only 9.5 victories in 2019 and 2020. The Rams started considering changes, and with Stafford available in Detroit, the organization decided to make a move. According to McVay, the trade negotiations came together quicker than anticipated; what the Rams “thought was going to be a week’s worth of time ended up happening in about 24 to 36 hours.” As a result, the organization didn’t have an opportunity to truly prep Goff for the impending move.

“So all in all, biggest thing I regret, [not] being able to sit down, look him in the eye and be able to communicate kind of where we are, what we were going to try to do moving forward,” McVay said. “And for that, I regret it, I’ll not make those same mistakes again.

“But, I care about Jared. He sure as hell did a lot of good things. And I think the thing that shows what a stud, what a class act he really is, is one of the best text messages I got after the Super Bowl was from Jared Goff. And so, I think the further we get away, the more appreciation that we’ll have for the great four years that we did have together — because there were a lot of really good times. … But all in all, just the better communication, better clarity is what I would’ve wanted. And I didn’t like the outside narrative, but I think he knows where my heart was. And I was glad we were able to connect, sit down, be honest with each other, and I think we both have a lot of respect for each other. And I wish I’d handled it better as a leader for him.”

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

June 29th, 2022 at 11:08am CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL experienced a busy offseason on the coaching front. A whopping 10 teams changed coaches during the 2022 offseason, with the Buccaneers’ late-March switch pushing the number into double digits.

Fourteen of the league’s 32 head coaches were hired in the past two offseasons, illustrating the increased pressure the NFL’s sideline leaders face in today’s game. Two of the coaches replaced this year left on their own. Sean Payton vacated his spot in second on the longest-tenured HCs list by stepping down from his 16-year Saints post in February, while Bruce Arians has repeatedly insisted his Bucs exit was about giving his defensive coordinator a chance with a strong roster and not a Tom Brady post-retirement power play.

While Bill Belichick has been the league’s longest-tenured HC for many years, Payton’s exit moved Mike Tomlin up to No. 2. Mike Zimmer‘s firing after nine seasons moved Frank Reich into the top 10. Reich’s HC opportunity only came about because Josh McDaniels spurned the Colts in 2018, but Indianapolis’ backup plan has led the team to two playoff brackets and has signed an extension. Reich’s seat is hotter in 2022, however, after a January collapse. Linked to numerous HC jobs over the past several offseasons, McDaniels finally took another swing after his Broncos tenure ended quickly.

As 2022’s training camps approach, here are the NFL’s longest-tenured HCs:

Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2025
Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts): February 11, 2018; extended through 2026
Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2019; extended through 2027
Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019
Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
Ron Rivera (Washington Football Team): January 1, 2020
Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers): January 7, 2020
Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
Nathaniel Hackett (Denver Broncos): January 27, 2022
Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
Lovie Smith (Houston Texans): February 7, 2022
Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022

Sean McVay Comments On Aaron Donald Situation

June 1st, 2022 at 7:22pm CST by Ely Allen

We recently wrote about some comments made by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald during an appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast. Donald’s comments echoed sentiments we heard after the team’s Super Bowl victory that the 31-year-old might be done playing football after eight years in the league. Specifically, Donald seemed to indicate that if he and the Rams can’t come to an agreement on a new contract, he would be “at peace” with his career coming to a close.

Earlier this week, Rams head coach Sean McVay remarked on the comments and his view of the situation with Donald, according to Cameron DaSilva of USA Today. “We’ve had great dialogue,” McVay stated. “The goal all along has been to try to get this thing figured out, but also like I’ve said, if there’s anybody that’s earned the right to make the decision on their own terms…it’s Aaron.”

McVay went on to frame the situation in an optimistic light. “Things are trending in the right direction,” he continued. “We have regular dialogue with Aaron and the goal is to figure out how to get a contract done that he feels good about, that we feel good about, and have him continue to do his thing for the Rams leading the way.”

Donald currently has three years remaining on his six-year, $135MM contract. He’s only due to make $14.25MM next year, though, and Donald is seeking a raise based on everything he’s done for the Rams since signing that deal in 2018. Donald hasn’t appeared at OTAs this year, but that’s hardly out of the ordinary for the completely voluntary workouts.

When asked if Donald will be at mandatory minicamp next week, McVay expressed some hope. “I think so. That’s the plan right now, so we’ll see. I sure hope so, so I don’t have to answer your questions next week about it,” McVay joked. “No, I think he’ll be here. That’s the plan.”

Latest On Rams’ Snead, McVay, Donald, Kupp

March 30th, 2022 at 3:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

While they have made a number of big-name additions in recent years, a key core of players and personnel have been present throughout the recent success the Rams have enjoyed. Included among those is general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, along with All-Pros Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Athletic, each member of that quartet is in line for new or re-worked contracts.

As chief operating officer Kevin Demoff recently confirmed, both Snead and McVay “will receive contract extensions prior to the official start of the 2022 season”. It had been known for some time that McVay would be getting a new deal after he confirmed his intention to continue coaching. Likewise, Snead been extended parallel to McVay in recent years, including their joint re-signing in 2019.

“They want to be aligned”, Demoff said. “They speak the same language and they see football the same way. They’re motivated to build teams together the same way. When you find that partnership, you want to keep it.”

As for Donald, Rodrigue reports that “the team is working out a new contract for [him] and expects it to be done soon”. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has three years remaining on his current deal, which he signed in 2018 following a holdout one year earlier. There is optimism a repeat of that will be avoided, as negotiations have “been nothing but positive” for an extension which is thought to represent a large raise on his current $22.5MM-per-year pact.

For Kupp, meanwhile, an extension – or at least a restructure of his current deal – will become the priority after Donald. He has two years remaining on a contract which is set to pay him just over $14.5MM per season. While the 29-year-old isn’t “looking to top the [WR] pay charts”, as far as the front office is aware, a raise spread out over a longer term is their goal. Doing so could open up some needed financial flexibility, given the addition of Allen Robinson and the teams’ ongoing efforts to re-sign Odell Beckham Jr.

While change is inevitable for any team – even Super Bowl winners – it appears much of the Rams’ nucleus will be remaining in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.