Former Steeler Says McVay’s Mind Works in 4D

Now a foundational pillar in the Los Angeles Rams' future, Kevin Dotson says Pittsburgh trade blindsided him,

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams guard Kevin Dotson (69) wears a guardian cap on his helmet against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

No wonder players at all positions, whether with the Rams or other teams, are impressed with Sean McVay. Apparently, the head coach’s brain has evolved a fourth dimension.

“He makes stuff happen just off of his imagination,” McVay’s starting guard Kevin Dotson told Ari Meirov on Tuesday’s NFL Spotlight.

“Of all the things that he's seen, it seems like his mind is always working. It's always going. It's always, ‘What if I did this? What if I moved him around, but got back to this and did that and…’ I don't think people can think like him. I think he thinks in 4D or something. He's just thinking in every direction.”

One direction Dotson went on the eve of the 2023 season was west. McVay and Les Snead acquired him from Pittsburgh for 2024 and ’25 draft picks, including the Rams’ fifth-rounder this April.

And while McVay evolved into a better coach, Dotson evolved into a better player. Pro Football Focus named him one of the NFL’s highest-graded offensive guards last season.

The Rams saw everything they needed well before that. After his first season in Los Angeles, the Rams signed Dotson to a three-year, $48 million extension last March. Transitioning from Pittsburgh wasn’t easy, though.

“I kind of felt blindsided a little bit, overall,” Dotson told Meirov of the August 2023 trade. “I didn’t really understand. I didn’t believe that I did bad, production-wise, or anything like that.

“So, I just kept it rolling, always kept a good attitude just waiting for my chance. I knew just if I got a chance to go somewhere else, I was going to stamp my name on it. So, it’s one of those things where there’s no point in worrying about it. I’m going to do my best thing once I get the chance.”

That chance with the Rams got even more important this week when the team traded Jonah Jackson to Chicago. Jackson, who signed his own lucrative free-agent deal with the Rams last March, became the odd man out due to Dotson’s play, the emergence of center Beaux Limmer and Steve Avila’s consistency.

And before trading away Jackson, the Rams’ confidence in those three interior starters convinced the team to also extend left tackle Alaric Jackson last week.

Now, with right tackle Rob Havenstein turning 33 this spring, don’t be surprised to see the Rams look for an offensive tackle in either free agency or the draft to provide depth.

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