It’s not uncommon for an NFL player to pursue a career in coaching after his playing days are over. Wes Welker has done it. So has Jerod Mayo. Mike Vrabel even went on to become a head coach like Mike Ditka and Mike Singletary, among many others.
Players who do make that transition often held leadership roles during their time in the NFL. The Rams have several guys who could go on to become coaches someday, with Andrew Whitworth being an obvious choice.
Sean McVay was asked by a listener of the “Flying Coach” podcast which players he could see going on to become good coaches, and he named a handful of current and former Rams.
“Couple guys that I think would make seamless transitions. When we first got here, a guy we put a lot on his shoulders who was so smart – if he wanted to, I think that John Sullivan would make a great coach,” McVay said. “I think I learned so much from him. Feel the same way about Eric Weddle. At the same time, I’ve got a tough time believing guys like Aaron Donald, because of how demanding and how consistent they are, would be a great coach if they wanted to. The Andrew Whitworths. It’s all about the perspective that these guys have. Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are about as special as it gets in terms of their big-picture understanding from the receiver position. It shows you that I’m a big fan of a lot of our players because I think they would make seamless transitions.”
McVay narrowed his list a bit after rattling off some names, specifically highlighting Sullivan, Weddle and former Rams safety John Johnson. Matthew Stafford unsurprisingly earned a mention from McVay, given his command of an NFL offense.
“But if I were to say a couple guys that you’ve really been around, here’s the guys that I would really say just in the short amount of time the four years that I’ve been a head coach,” he said. “John Sullivan and Eric Weddle are unbelievably smart players. I think John Johnson, who’s going onto the Browns, is in that same sort of mold as what Eric is. Great communicators, charisma, presence. I think John Johnson would be outstanding. And then the guys like the Kupps, the Woods, and obviously Stafford’s command of it all. Those are guys that kind of stand out that I think would make great coaches if they decided to pursue that profession.”
Quarterbacks make a ton of sense as potential coaches in the NFL. They’re the closest thing to a coach on the field, and they’re the ones making the calls in the huddle, getting the offense aligned and leading their teammates.
Defensive signal callers, as John Johnson was last season, also make good coaching candidates, according to McVay.
“I think some positions are innately thrust into a leadership role,” he said. “That’s why I talk about the quarterbacks and then whoever has the green dot on defense are naturally going to be the most seamless transitions to coaches because they’re responsible for transmitting information. They’re a lot of times an extension of the coaching staff. I think the center position is like that. Whitworth is in essence an extension of the coaching staff with the way that he pours into our younger guys. Lot of different guys that are reflective of being great coaches, but oh by the way, they happen to be outstanding athletes and players.”
Could we one day see Weddle, Sullivan or Whitworth on McVay’s coaching staff in L.A.? Weddle said last year he’d be open to coaching and scouting with the Ravens, so he might prioritize Baltimore. But Whitworth loves Los Angeles and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him become a coach at some point down the road.