Sean McVay was on top of the football world at the end of the 2021 season, winning a Super Bowl in his team’s home stadium, while becoming the youngest head coach in NFL history to hoist the Lombardi trophy. Surprisingly though, after the victory whispers of McVay’s potential retirement from coaching began to swirl, with rumors that the coach was considering leaving the sidelines for a role on TV. Those rumors never came to fruition however, and McVay returned to the Los Angeles Rams sidelines the following season.
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What happened next was a tough 5-12 campaign marred by injury at almost every position. After reaching four playoff berths in his first five years, McVay faced the most adversity he had ever seen thus far in his short career. The Rams head coach, who admitted to feeling some burnout, was forced to step away from the team and reflect on his future after the 2022 let down.
McVay spoke candidly about his tough experience that season on Chris Long’s Green Light podcast Monday, opening up about his struggles that year, and his time away in the offseason when he was contemplating retirement.
“You know, in the midst of so many good things going on here, I lost my way a little bit, and 2022 really exposed me. You know, where the results weren’t what we wanted, I was exposed, in terms of my shortcomings, some of my insecurities, and I really had to address that.”
“By no means am I perfect, but I’m a lot better off from that 2022 season where you’re saying like “You’re actually thinking about not coaching anymore? What the hell is wrong with you?” but those were real things because you lost your purpose and perspective in the midst of, you know, the good stuff occurring, and last year [2023] reminded me why I love this shit so much, because of those players.”
McVay has since found his love of coaching again, embracing the roster rebuild of last season, while leading the NFL’s second youngest team to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth. He also touched on the reasons the 2023 group was so instrumental in reminding him why he loved coaching.
“The best part about last year is that there was real adversity. I think that’s when you find out about people. It’s like when you’re in the storm, how the hell do you handle that stuff? But I was proud as hell of that team, we’ve had some other seasons that we might have gone further, but it’s probably my most rewarding season as a coach.”
The hiring of McVay has been franchise changing for the Rams to say the least. At the time, it was an unorthodox move for an NFL team to hand the keys over to a 30-year-old head coach, but since his arrival in 2017, he has gone 77-49, including a 7-4 postseason record. McVay has also led Los Angeles to three divisional championships, two NFC conference championships, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl victory, all before the age of 40.
The Rams did not have a winning season from 2007-2016, but upon McVay taking over, LA has held a winning record six out of the last seven years, with playoff appearances in five of those six.
McVay seems to have reignited his passion for coaching, and that looks to have put his retirement talks in the rear view mirror for now. With a rebuilt roster of young players like WR Puka Nacua and DT Kobie Turner buying into his culture wholeheartedly, the Rams head coach is primed to potentially have another Super Bowl run or two in store for his already decorated career.
