Sean McVay joined Josh Altman of “Million Dollar Listing” and made this push-up challenge look easy.
Sean McVay isn’t just a great coach. He’s also a really good athlete. People tend to forget that it was just 13 years ago that McVay was playing college football at Miami (Ohio), lining up at wide receiver for three seasons there.
Like not many other coaches in the NFL, McVay goes through drills and sprints with his players during practice and stays in shape all year round. He put his strength to the test recently with real estate agent Josh Altman from “Million Dollar Listing,” attempting a push-up challenge of doing 100 in four minutes.
The competition was filmed and shared on Altman’s YouTube account, which shows a different side of McVay than Rams fans are typically used to seeing.
Altman attempted it first, but he came up short. Then McVay went and made the feat look easy.
After completing the challenge, McVay had a message for anyone who thinks it’s easy to do.
“This is a humbling deal. Josh is an athlete. This isn’t for everybody. I’ve seen plenty of our elite athletes. You think 100 push-ups, four minutes, it’s offensive. It’s humbled many greats,” McVay said.
As made clear in the video, McVay is jacked. He looks like he could line up at strong safety right now and blend in with other NFL players.
It’s also easy to see why players love playing for McVay and rave about his leadership. If he’s staying in such great shape, players probably feel motivated to do the same. It’s not bad when your coach is cracking jokes on YouTube, either.
Les Snead wants to give Sean McVay as many offensive weapons as he can to lead the Rams.
The old adage may read “defenses win championships,” but in today’s NFL, offense usually reigns supreme. It’s why quarterbacks, wide receivers and offensive linemen are among the highest-paid players in the NFL.
In recent years, the Los Angeles Rams have put a big emphasis on the offense, which began with the hiring of Sean McVay in 2017. That came after years of having defensive-minded coaches and rosters that were built around a strong defense.
For the most part, it’s worked. The Rams have ranked in the top 10 in years in each of the last three years after finishing 28th or worse the previous four years. They were also first and second in points scored in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Despite looking good on that side of the ball this offseason, the Rams spent three of their first five picks in the draft on offensive skill players, adding Cam Akers, Van Jefferson and Brycen Hopkins.
GM Les Snead was on Fox Sports’ “The Herd” Thursday and he made it clear that the Rams want to keep adding to the offense.
“When we set out, we hired Sean. Obviously brilliant offensive mind, has become and evolved into a really, really brilliant head football coach,” Snead began. “The blueprint of a lot of successful teams … they started with a head coach who ended up having success with a quarterback on a rookie contract and a lot of those teams went to the Super Bowl with that head coach and that quarterback on his rookie contract. So we definitely want to keep feeding that offense. We’ve been successful the last three years, scoring a lot of points, being one of the top one to two to three to four to five teams in offense, so we want to keep feeding that beast. I get all of the other positions, but simply put, hiring people and acquiring people who can gain yards in explosive chunks and move the chains and score touchdowns is not a bad thing.”
The Rams did part ways this offseason with two of their most productive players from the 2018 season, trading Brandin Cooks to the Texans and cutting Todd Gurley, who went on to sign with the Falcons. However, they quickly replaced both players with Akers and Jefferson in the draft, and could be preparing for next year’s departure of Gerald Everett with the addition of Hopkins at tight end.
Snead acknowledged that teams have been successful focusing on defense, but with the Rams, he wants to help give McVay as many weapons as he can on offense.
“Whatever your internal philosophy is and whatever it is that you think the coaches want to do to try to win that game on Sunday and win more games on Sunday than lose, and get to the tournament, the best thing a GM can do is try to do his part in feeding that coach the players that will help execute his system,” Snead said.
The Rams haven’t ignored the defense, but it’s clear they view their offense as the catalyst that could carry them to a Super Bowl – just as it did in 2018.
Peyton Manning is the second guest speaker invited to talk to the team by Sean McVay.
The Rams, like the 31 other teams in the NFL, are trying to make the most of this modified offseason. The coronavirus pandemic has prevented them from getting on the field and in the weight room, limiting players and coaches to meeting strictly over video conference calls.
Sean McVay is doing his best to keep everyone focused and interested, even bringing in guest speakers during the virtual offseason program. First it was Doc Rivers last month, and now it’s Peyton Manning.
Manning spoke to the team on Thursday, which players seemed to appreciate. Sebastian Joseph-Day and Micah Kiser both tweeted about Manning’s visit, which Kiser called “absolutely incredible.”
It was so dope hearing Peyton Manning talk about ball and his experiences as a player! Huge S/O to the 🐐!
According to Gary Klein of the L.A. Times, Manning talked to the team for about 30 minutes, and then spent another half-hour taking questions from players. With Manning’s knowledge of the game, being able to pick his brain must’ve been a treat for the Rams.
Troy Hill had some high praise for Brandon Staley, comparing him to Sean McVay.
When Sean McVay was hired by the Rams in 2017, his choice for defensive coordinator came as a surprise. He brought in legendary coach Wade Phillips, who was more than twice his age. The partnership worked for three years, but after a disappointing and inconsistent season in 2019, McVay decided to part ways with Phillips by not extending his contract.
And so, in comes a lesser-known name in Brandon Staley, who has no experience as a defensive coordinator. He’s 37 years old and although he’ll likely stick with Phillips’ 3-4 base defense, the unit should look different in 2020.
Troy Hill can already see the difference in going from Phillips to Staley, simply based on their energy levels. Hill even called Staley a McVay-type of coach on defense because of his knowledge and the way he talks.
Rams CB Troy Hill on defensive coord Brandon Staley: "I like his energy. It's kinda like a McVay of the defense almost, the way he talks and how smart he is. I feel like that's what I needed. We're feeding off it, and I feel it, just seeing how in tune the players are with him."
McVay is viewed as one of the smartest young coaches in the NFL, so for Staley to draw that comparison – even by one of his own players – is a good sign. It seemed McVay wanted to bring in a coach who was more his type and based on Staley’s coaching style, he seems to fit the mold.
It’s easy to get excited about the Rams’ defense under Staley, but there’s still a long way to go before this group is viewed as one of the best in football. It seems to be on the right track, though.
Cam Akers threw for more than 3,100 yards as a senior in high school.
Cam Akers was one of the players the Rams coveted in the second round, with Les Snead saying he and Van Jefferson were both among the five realistic targets they hoped to land at No. 52. Akers wound up being the pick over the likes of J.K. Dobbins, which says a lot about how Los Angeles views the former Florida State running back.
Not only is he a talented runner, but he can also catch the ball out of the backfield, block for his quarterback, and even throw the ball a bit. As a former high school quarterback, Akers can do some of everything on offense. As a senior in high school, Akers threw for 3,128 yards and 31 touchdowns, being named Gatorade Player of the Year.
That has Sean McVay excited about the possibilities of trick plays with Akers in the backfield.
“He was an unbelievable quarterback in high school. He had some good trick plays so we’ll have to add to the inventory and see if he can throw it a little bit still,” McVay said in an interview with Mike Tirico of NBC Sports.
Here’s a brief glimpse at Akers’ arm strength and accuracy, nailing this pass on a trick play at Florida State in 2017.
First and foremost, of course, Akers will help reignite the Rams’ ground game. It’s in need of a spark after a down year in 2019, and the goal is for Akers to join a committee that also features Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown.
McVay doesn’t yet know how the share of touches and playing time will be handled next season, but having three capable backs is an ideal scenario for Los Angeles.
“It’s a big deal. When you look at who we’ve got in our room already with Darrell Henderson, with Malcolm Brown, with John Kelly, you wanted to add a guy like Cam to the mix,” McVay said. “What says as much about Cam as anything is the amount of texts I got as soon as we made that pick. Derrick Brooks was one of the first texts. I mean, this is a guy that’s so revered. Even talking to our equipment manager Brendan Berger, people at Florida State had reached out. You can’t find somebody that doesn’t love this guy and what he’s about. And certainly, the ability is there.”
Akers has the makings of a true workhorse back, having been used that way at Florida State for a few years, but the Rams don’t seem to want to use any one player that way. They want to keep everyone fresh and healthy, which was the opposite of how they used Todd Gurley.
Akers shouldn’t be expected to carry it 300 times as a rookie, but it’s reasonable to think he’ll get 200-plus touches in Year 1.
Sean McVay coached in the UFL, which didn’t exactly fill stadiums.
The 2020 season could look very different for the NFL due to the unprecedented times we’re currently in. Every American sports league is currently on hold and there’s no guarantee that the NFL will be able to play its games as currently scheduled this fall.
The season could be delayed, games could be canceled or teams could be playing in empty stadiums. Everything seems to be on the table right now, which has teams preparing for whatever the league decides to do.
It’s hard to replicate the feeling of playing in empty stadiums with no fans, but Rams coach Sean McVay has experience coaching in such situations. He knows what it’s like to have no one in the stands, drawing off his time as a coach in the United Football League, which no longer exists.
“I can, because I coached in the UFL my second year in coaching, and it felt like we didn’t play in front of many fans in some of those situations,” McVay said on a conference call last week.
“It feels very similar to practice. I can probably yell across the sidelines for the other coaches to hear you for the players. I’ve been in some similar experiences, so if that’s what it is, we’ll just be thankful to be playing in any form or fashion, but certainly the fans bring an added dynamic that you can’t match.”
Playing in front of fans is especially important for the Rams, who are opening a brand new stadium this year. SoFi Stadium is set to be completed before the 2020 season, but if fans aren’t allowed to attend games, the home opener against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football will certainly have a different feel to it.
McVay is hoping SoFi Stadium isn’t empty on Sept. 13, or in any other game, for that matter, but he knows it’s not something the team can control.
“We certainly hope that that’s not the case, but we’re not going to speculate on any of that,” he said. “It’s still so far away. I mean, think about how much has taken place even (in the) two months that we’ve been in these quarantine positions, so I think we’ll just let it play itself out. It’s still going to be a football game, and we’re hopeful that it’ll be as normal as possible, but obviously the health and safety of everybody is the first and foremost consideration.”
As of now, the Rams will open their season and SoFi Stadium on Sept. 13 against the Cowboys, and conclude at home against the Cardinals on Jan. 3.
Sean McVay has an incredible memory, but it’s (probably) not this good.
Sean McVay is best known for helping turn the Los Angeles Rams around, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance in just his second season. He’s also known for his incredible memory, which allows him to recall just about any play from any given season – even dating back to his high school playing days.
Several videos have been shared online of McVay remembering what happened on a given play, which was the inspiration for comedian Frank Caliendo’s impression of McVay in a funny clip after the NFL schedule release.
“You guys want me to memorize the schedule for all 32 teams? Done.”
Here are the four toughest games on the Jets’ 2020 schedule.
After facing a rather easy schedule in 2019 ut only going 7-9, the New York Jets will have a brutal slate in 2020.
The Jets’ strength of schedule sits at .533, which is the second-toughest in the league behind the Patriots (.537). The Dolphins have the third toughest strength of schedule at .529. Those numbers are based on each team’s 2020 opponents’ win-loss record from 2019.
Obviously, the Jets will play the Bills, Dolphins and Patriots on the road and at home. The other road opponents include the Colts, Rams, Seahawks, Chargers and Chiefs. The home opponents are the Raiders, Browns, Cardinals, 49ers and Broncos.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the Jets’ four toughest opponents on a schedule that includes very few easy games.
Mikel Arteta initiated the communication with Sean McVay about how he’s keeping the Rams on track during this pandemic.
Sean McVay is viewed as one of the smartest young coaches in the NFL, helping turn around a Rams franchise that endured a decade of disappointment. He’s become well-known across the landscape of sports, even stretching outside the borders of the U.S.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently reached out to McVay, picking his brain about training strategies and plans during the coronavirus pandemic, which has made team-building and working out difficult.
Mikel Arteta instigated a call with LA Rams coach Sean McVay earlier this week. Edu &, briefly, Raul Sanllehi also involved. Aimed at sharing ideas around training. Also discussed how unit training may work (ie just defenders together etc) in socially-distanced group sessions.
That bit of news was revealed by Raul Sanllehi, Arsenal’s head of football, during fan forum video call this week. McVay and Arteta have exchanged ideas about how to keep their teams on track during this unprecedented time.
The Rams are currently in their virtual offseason program, which mostly consists of video calls and classroom work. Rookies can’t participate yet, but the Rams have had perfect attendance to start the offseason program.
The connection between McVay and Arteta isn’t completely random, though. Stan Kroenke, who owns the Rams, also owns Arsenal through his Kroenke Sports & Entertainment company.
The Rams can be more diverse on both offense and defense in 2020 thanks to their offseason moves.
Coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams’ class of rookies has a theme to it. Yes, it’s a collection of talented players who each could contribute relatively early in their careers. However, more importantly, they give the coaching nearly endless options on offense and defense.
Versatility is the name of the game in the NFL and the Rams have plenty of it – not only with the different positions their guys can play, but with the number of personnel groupings Los Angeles can now activate.
This draft class was all about giving Sean McVay – and to an extent, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley – more options scheme-wise.
For the last three years, McVay has leaned heavily on utilizing 11 personnel on offense. The Rams have had three really good starting receivers on the roster each season, so it’s easy to understand why McVay would want to keep them on the field.
This graphic will put into perspective just how reliant the Rams were on 11 personnel in 2017 and 2018.
Sean McVay and the Rams used 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) on 90+% of their offensive snaps in 2018.
Over the past 2 seasons, the @RamsNFL have used only 5 personnel packages on offense, while 3 teams have used 30+ (@ChicagoBears, @Saints and @Ravens).
The Rams began to shift gears in 2019, though. McVay, after seeing the offense sputter a bit, diversified. The running game wasn’t working and Jared Goff was facing far too much pressure. McVay didn’t abandon 11 personnel completely, but he got his tight ends on the field more and expanded the playbook.
Last season, the Rams used 11 personnel 70 percent of the time – still second-most in the NFL, but they also used five different personnel packages. That’s the same total as they used in 2017 and 2018 combined.
Coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Rams are well positioned to diversify their offense moving forward.
“Just like anything, defenses start trying to catch up to what we were doing in 11 (personnel) and Sean even said he wanted to go back to where he could do similar stuff but out of more diversified personnel packages and so we’re going to get two tight ends on the field more,” GM Les Snead said this week on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
That wasn’t the only time Snead mentioned being more diverse on offense. He did so after the draft, too.
“Like I’ve always said, what we’ve been doing in ’17 and ’18, Sean loves personnel packages, so multiple tight ends and wide receivers, so adding Mr. (Brycen) Hopkins and Mr. (Van) Jefferson today is good,” he said.
The Rams boast excellent depth at all three skill positions on offense. They can go four deep at wide receiver with Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds and Van Jefferson, and they’re three deep at running back with Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr. and Malcolm Brown. The same goes for tight end with Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett and now Brycen Hopkins.
The Rams have the ability to use not only 11 personnel, but also 22 (2 RBs, 2 TEs), 13 (1 RB, 3 TEs) and 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs), which was the team’s second-most popular grouping last season. And they can do so with a variety of players, not just the same five faces.
Snead even hinted at using Hopkins in “exotic personnel packages,” which is an exciting phrase to hear uttered about the Rams.
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The same goes for the defense, which is now led by Staley. Under Wade Phillips last season, the Rams didn’t have much variety with their personnel and players on defense. Aaron Donald, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Michael Brockers typically stayed at their respective positions.
Nickell Robey-Coleman covered the slot, with Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill outside. Cory Littleton was the only inside linebacker who played consistently, and Marqui Christian joined Taylor Rapp and John Johnson often as the third safety.
It wasn’t a bad defense, but it wasn’t one that varied much week-to-week. Under Staley, the defense should be more “multiple” and unpredictable going from one week to the next.
Terrell Burgess can play safety and nickel back, which is a nice bonus in itself. He can be used almost interchangeably with Johnson and Rapp, which makes it tough for opponents to read the defense.
“To be able to get Burgess at the end, just the makeup of the human being, the versatility of his skill set, I think it’s huge. Especially, when you look at John Johnson and Taylor Rapp, feel really good about those guys, but there’s a lot of personnel groupings you can activate defensively where you’re playing with three safeties,” McVay said after Day 2 of the draft. “When you’ve got a guy that can play safety, or really that nickel spot based on his athleticism, it’s a really exciting thing to be able to add to that group.”
The cornerback group is more versatile, too. David Long Jr., who should have a bigger role in his second season, can play both in the slot and outside. The same goes for Hill, and even Ramsey to an extent. The Rams don’t have to keep their corners in specific spots, especially with Burgess able to play all over the secondary. When Robey-Coleman was there, he was pigeonholed to the slot because of his smaller stature. That’s no longer the case with Burgess and Long stepping up.
The same goes for the defensive line, where A’Shawn Robinson, Joseph-Day and Brockers can all play either nose tackle or defensive end. Aaron Donald can play defensive end, too, but he’s best at 3-technique.
The Rams should be more unpredictable on both offense and defense next season after their additions in the draft and also in free agency. And specifically in the draft, the motto was to give McVay more options.
Now, it’s just a matter of seeing how he uses his shiny new toys in 2020.
