JANUARY 8: Illustrating a notably different situation in McVay’s case, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that the Super Bowl winner is leaning towards stepping away (video link). Specifically, he adds that members of the organization would be “more surprised if he came back than if he left.”

Glazer also predicts that McVay is not, in fact, likely to take a significant period of time to arrive at his ultimate decision. That stands in stark contrast to previous reporting on the matter, but will no doubt add to the speculation that a parting of ways could be imminent. In the event McVay does step aside, Glazer names defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as a candidate to replace him. When speaking to the media after today’s loss to the Seahawks, McVay declined to comment on his future, leaving his status in the air as the offseason begins in Los Angeles.

JANUARY 7: As the offseason approaches for non-playoff teams, speculation has once again ramped up that Rams head coach Sean McVay will be headed elsewhere in the near future. Regardless of what his next move will be, the Super Bowl winner will take time in the coming weeks to weigh his options.

McVay, 36, has continued to draw the interest of TV networks eyeing him as an addition to their broadcast teams. The possibility of a move from the sidelines to the booth was a top storyline for Los Angeles’ 2022 offseason, one in which a number of key players, general manager Les Snead and McVay himself each signed multi-year extensions.

Now, however, things are once again in danger of changing dramatically. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that McVay’s immediate future with the Rams “is in limbo” and that he will “take some time” following tomorrow’s season finale to determine his next steps. Ian Rapoport of Network confirms that the next few weeks will see the sixth-year HC spend time away from football “to consider his future” (video link).

Schefter notes that a number of events both on and off the field have taken their toll on McVay over the course of the past several months, beginning with the Rams’ Super Bowl victory last February. That result – coupled with the fact that a number of core pieces remained with the team during the offseason – led to considerable expectations once again in 2022. The Rams have fallen well short, though, going 5-11 to date amidst a slew of injuries and a substantial regression in efficiency on offense.

That has guaranteed the first losing season of McVay’s tenure, one which includes a .619 winning percentage in the regular season and another Super Bowl appearance aside from last year’s victory. Los Angeles faces a number of issues in the coming offseason after the disappointment of this campaign, as they are yet again without their first-round pick for the upcoming draft and in worse shape with respect to projected 2023 cap space than most teams.

McVay declined to comment on the Schefter report concerning his short-term future, but he confirmed earlier this week that he would be interested in a media role “down the line,” suggesting that a move to broadcasting could be less likely now than it was one year ago. In any event, his thought process in the weeks to come will be one of the league’s top storylines.

Another season, another period of premature rumors that Rams head coach Sean McVay could leave the team for an opportunity to become an analyst on television. For the second straight year, the NFL’s youngest head coach is being asked to address television rumors heading into the team’s final game of the season, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.

Unfortunately for McVay, while it’s still not expected to occur, his departure makes a little more sense this year after a season that, at best, will see the team with 11 losses this season. Again, it still doesn’t make much sense following the contract extension McVay signed this past offseason, but it makes a little more sense than right after he led his team to a Super Bowl. The Rams’ current record of 5-11 is setting up McVay’s worst season since taking over as head coach and marks his first losing season in the position.

McVay has acknowledged that the rumors aren’t totally unwarranted since he hasn’t “run away from the fact that, down the line or whenever that is, (that job is) something” he’d be interested in. For now, though, McVay attempted to put an end to the rumors that it will happen anytime soon, calling the interest “flattering” but reiterating that he wants to remain in his current position and is focused on that.

This response is much different than last year, when McVay seemed to fan the flames a bit with comments that he “won’t make it” coaching into his 60’s. He backed up those comments expressing his wishes in the future to have and spend time with a family. Following his Super Bowl LVI victory last season, though, McVay responded to a question asking whether he would return to Los Angeles in 2022 with a blunt, “We’ll see.” Two weeks later, McVay would reaffirm his commitment to returning to coach the Rams and would sign his extension in August, keeping him under contract through 2026.

McVay has been nothing but honest with questions about his future, allowing media members to run away with rumors on which he refuses to close the door. McVay insists that he will continue to be honest with the media about his future endeavors. It doesn’t change his love for coaching and the game of football, but it certainly won’t stop TV networks from attempting to draw him away from the game.

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.