One of the more surprising moves made by the Los Angeles Rams this offseason was the decision to let Skip Peete go as the team’s running backs coach. He was a holdover from Jeff Fisher’s staff, and someone Todd Gurley encouraged the Rams to keep when Sean McVay took over in 2017.

He was the running backs coach during Gurley’s two All-Pro seasons in 2017 and 2018, but also when Gurley’s production and usage fell off last season. To replace Peete, McVay hired Thomas Brown, who was coaching the running backs at South Carolina in 2019 and had previous stints at Georgia and Miami.

While McVay didn’t exactly give a reason for the change, he did praise Brown and is excited about the impact he’s going to have on the team. He also recalled playing against him in high school when Brown was one of the top recruits in the country.

“We’re also very excited about adding Thomas Brown as our running back coach. He’s a guy that I’ve known for a while,” McVay said during an introductory press conference this week. “I remember playing against him when he was the top recruit in the country. He was a really good football player and you can see why he’s seamlessly transitioned to become a really good football coach. Another guy that has a lot of those traits and characteristics that you look for.”

McVay’s relationship with Brown goes back years, which has led them to connect now with the Rams. When McVay was hired by Los Angeles in 2017, he considered bringing Brown with him on his staff.

McVay felt good about Peete at the time, but he’s had his eye on Brown for a while.

“He and I, really – there was a possibility when you first go and you’re interviewing for head coaching opportunities, you have a list of projected coaches,” McVay said. “Skip was in place and felt really good about continuing that relationship. But Thomas is somebody that we’ve always kept in touch and there had maybe been a chance if the circumstances and the timing worked themselves out for his family and his situations and this year just so happened to be that year. I’m excited about being able to work with him.”

Brown and Gurley have a connection, too, both hailing from the University of Georgia. Brown never coached Gurley with the Bulldogs, but they both played in Athens and have known each other for a few years.

The Rams hope this change will provide a spark for Gurley in 2020, getting him back to the way he was playing in 2017 and 2018.