Sean McVay is one of the best coaches in the NFL. His record reflects that, as do the countless positive remarks from fellow coaches and players around the league. From his weekly game planning to his play designs, McVay is in the top echelon of coaches despite being just 38 years old.
He does have some flaws, though. He’s known for burning timeouts much too early and carelessly, which has come back to bite the Rams at the end of halves when they need to stop the clock. It was costly in the Rams’ playoff loss to the Lions when McVay used two timeouts early in the third and fourth quarters, leaving them with only one late in the game and allowing the Lions to run out the clock.
McVay’s latest hire to his coaching staff should be a step in the right direction when it comes to clock management, timeout usage and overall situational football. The Rams brought in John Streicher as their coordinator of football strategy, a new position on McVay’s staff.
Streicher isn’t a well-known name but he was an integral part of Mike Vrabel’s group in Tennessee for the last six years. He started out as the assistant to the head coach in 2018 but earned the title of director of football administration in 2023.
According to The Tennessean, Streicher was seen as Vrabel’s right-hand man. He helped facilitate communication between the Titans and the league, and also assisted with in-game decisions. Mike Moraitis of Titans Wire shared some insight on this hire for the Rams, too, saying Streicher “helped out with some head coach duties for a preseason game in Aug. 2021 after Vrabel missed the game because of COVID.”
With the Rams, it would make sense for Streicher to help McVay with things like timeout management, challenges and keeping the head coach aware of play-calling trends during a game. For instance, McVay can sometimes abandon the run too quickly, so perhaps Streicher can help maintain balance on offense when necessary.
It’s a great hire by McVay, and one that shows humility. He’s never been afraid to admit his flaws and shortcomings, and hiring someone like Streicher who has experience with game management is a major step in the right direction.
