Los Angeles Rams’ brain drain continues on the coaching staff as the Sean McVay coaching tree expands to NFC West rival
Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was hired as the Arizona Cardinals’ next head coach.
The Los Angeles Rams lost the NFC Championship in brutal fashion, dropping a chance at a Super Bowl in a 31-27 loss to bitter NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks. On the heels of that loss, the Rams are now having to absorb another bitter pill to swallow with yet another key loss on the team.
On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals hired Rams’ offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to serve as their next head coach. The Cardinals fired former head coach Jonathan Gannon on the heels of a 3-14 season.
Mike LaFleur a crucial loss for Rams
LaFleur has been a key cog in the Rams’ offensive operation over the last couple of seasons, and he’s been a valuable coach for McVay to lean on. Just this season, McVay turned play calling over to LaFleur after an illness. Coincidentally, that game just happened to be against the Cardinals, and the Rams splattered Arizona on the road to the tune of 45-17.
McVay has openly admitted that LaFleur’s presence as an offensive coordinator has allowed him to be more comfortable as a head coach, and he has turned to LaFleur to optimize several aspects of the offense, including spearheading their shift from a outside zone team to more of a multiple, power run game.
LaFleur’s departure will be McVay’s sixth offensive coach to be hired away as another team’s head coach.
How Rams can replace LaFleur
Sean McVay has done a tremendous job every season rebuilding the coaching staff every season, staving off the brain drain that comes from every team trying to hire McVay’s assistants all the time. He’s been successful at it, mainly because he keeps an open mind about who to hire and is open to hiring from every level of football.
That approach is refreshing and has been a big part of why the Rams’ offense is constantly evolving with new ideas coming into the building, but it does mean that predicting who could replace LaFleur is difficult. I do believe that McVay will want to continue having a proven coordinator there as offensive coordinator to maintain his comfort level as a head coach.
After the Cleveland Browns flubbed on hiring him as their next coach, passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is the obvious in-house candidate for the Rams to promote to replace Scheelhaase. Scheelhaase called plays as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator, and he’s played the pivotal role as a “play drawer” for McVay.
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan shares an agency with McVay and has some of that experience that LaFleur brought. While he’s not exactly deserving of the opportunity, given his remarkably poor offenses, that is a link to keep an eye on.
There are a few up-and-comers I am intrigued by if McVay goes away from a proven coach. San Francisco 49ers’ wide receivers coach & passing game coordinator Leonard Hankerson played under McVay in Washington, and he’s led a strong unit year-over-year in San Fran. New England Patriots’ quarterbacks coach has done a tremendous job with Drake Maye this season, and Mike Vrabel made it a point to bring him with him from Cleveland in 2024. For one final name, Minnesota Vikings’ wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell is well-connected to McVay, having coached alongside him in Washington and now alongside former McVay assistant Kevin O’Connell, but he’s never been under consideration for a coordinator job despite strong receiving units throughout his career. Perhaps that could change soon.
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