'Only One Sean!' Falcons' Coach Zac Robinson Reflects on McVay's Influence with Rams
A testament to his staff-building skills and the success that the 2023 Los Angeles Rams found, head coach Sean McVay found many of his assistant coaches gone for greener pastures and lucrative promotions.
Perhaps none were more impactful than defensive coordinator Raheem Morris departing to be the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Aside from being the leading defensive mind on McVay’s staff, he also purged multiple assistants, including quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, who’ll be Atlanta’s next offensive coordinator.
On Wednesday, Robinson spoke about the impact McVay had on his career and how strong of a coach he is. Above all, he seemed grateful for his time in Los Angeles and under one of the game’s leading offensive minds.
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“Sean is an open book at all times. He just wants the most out of his players and the most out of his coaches,” Robinson said. “He’s been an open door, open book throughout the whole thing. His process of what he does on Friday night leading up to a game and how he wants to sequence the game, some of those things. He’s obviously special in that regard.”
Along with the schematic points Robinson will carry over to the Falcons, the young coach was able to be better prepared for his promotion because of McVay.
In Atlanta, he’ll be asked to potentially develop a young/rookie quarterback while optimizing weaponry like receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and running back Bijan Robinson. It isn’t yet known what the offense will truly look like when molded to these talents, but most anticipate McVay’s fingerprints will be left on it, even from 2,100 miles away.
Even so, Robinson knows he isn’t going to be the Falcons’ McVay. According to him, that’s probably not possible anyway.
"There’s only one Sean,” Robinson said. “Just trying to do the best that I can. Definitely have learned a ton, whether it’s leadership principles and packaging plays, the marriage of the run and the pass, all of those things that I believe in because it’s been what I’ve known from the last five years, definitely will use here.
“Forever grateful for Sean and him giving me that opportunity as the first job I got in coaching. I’ve learned a ton from him, not only football-wise – X’s and O’s – but off the field as well.”
Robinson, 37, spent four years as an NFL quarterback from 2010-2013. After a stop at Pro Football Focus, Robinson was hired by McVay in 2019 as an assistant quarterbacks coach. He’d take on assistant receivers coaching responsibilities in 2020 before returning to his initial post for Los Angeles’ Super Bowl run. He spent the last two seasons as the quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator.
Now, he’ll have the chance to make an impact on a new franchise and potentially pave the way to a head coaching gig of his own. Robinson is a marker of McVay’s influence and a coaching success story before he calls his first play in Atlanta. The Falcons and Rams won’t play in the 2024 regular season but could meet in the playoffs should Robinson have as immediate of an impact as the Atlanta faithful – and McVay – hope.
