One of the hardest parts about being an NFL head coach is letting players know they’ve been cut. For many, it’s the end of their dream of playing professional football. It’s never an easy conversation, and it’s even more difficult when those conversations are being filmed.
That’s what Sean McVay had to deal with on Saturday when he told more than 20 players that they were being released by the Rams. There to film it all were the cameras of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” documenting the moments to show them on the season finale Tuesday.
Needless to say, he wasn’t thrilled with those moments being taped, even though he does know those from HBO and NFL Films have a job to do.
“I mean, it’s always tough, you know, there’s never a good way to deliver bad information. But we always try to be clear, open and honest and to the point. I will tell you this, these guys have been about as accommodating and they have a job to do, but that’s the one thing is like, you just hate being on camera,” he said. “It takes away your ability to truly be authentic and genuine. Those are private moments that you want to have. When they got these robo cameras set up, it’s not an ideal thing to have to have difficult conversations. Now, what I will say these guys have done is, they’ve been respectful. Like I said, I understand they have a job to do, but it certainly is tough, but it’s also a reflection.”
We already got a peek behind the curtain of a few cuts made by the Rams last week when “Hard Knocks” showed Josh Love and Bryan London being released by the team. Both McVay and Les Snead were in the room for those conversations, which were not easy.
Fortunately, players usually take them well, and McVay recognized that once again this year.
“Like I was talking to Les about it yesterday, and some of our coaches – the way these guys handled the tough information, I think is a real reflection of the quality of men that we bring in here,” McVay said. “To be able to have the class and to be able to handle it and look you in the eye and do it the right way. You’re just saying, ‘Man, I hope I would handle it the way that these guys did if I was on the other side of this conversation, having to receive some of these difficult conversations.’”
The Rams’ 53-man roster has been set and McVay is excited about the guys they have, but cutting players is never easy.
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