How Rams' Sean McVay 'Operates Differently' Than Other NFL Coaches
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is no stranger to filling voids on his surrounding staff, as five of his assistants have become NFL head coaches.
As such, McVay's had to continually restock talent on the coaching staff, a task he's largely had much success with, as Los Angeles has made the playoffs in five of his seven years at the helm.
A positive side effect of the Rams' mass coaching staff departures? Other organizations taking note of the quality of workers housed in Los Angeles, be it McVay, general manager Les Snead and everyone in between.
This once again proved true when the Atlanta Falcons hired former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to be their next head coach.
Sep 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay stands next to defensive coordinator Raheem Morris in the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium.
Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Falcons owner Arthur Blank worked with Morris from 2015 to 2020, when Morris was an assistant coach and, ultimately, interim head coach in his final campaign.
Blank interviewed Morris for the head coaching vacancy then but opted instead for Arthur Smith. After firing Smith on Jan. 7, Blank conducted a thorough 14-candidate search that ended with Morris back in Atlanta.
So, what makes Morris better suited for the job now than he was three years ago?
Blank, speaking Feb. 9, said it stems from Morris' stint in Los Angeles, when he worked in a different coaching environment and setup than most other teams.
Morris' growth was evident - and Blank feels McVay deserves considerable praise for helping foster it.
"Sean McVay operates differently than a lot of other coaches do," Blank said. "(The Rams') coaching scheme, setup, how they promote from within, move coaches around in a much more lateral way, was a learning experience for (Morris)."
Blank added that Morris returned to Atlanta with a stronger plan of how to anticipate and build coaching staffs when departures are imminent, a quality learned from McVay.
Still, there's more.
Morris mentioned a variation of the term "collaborate" some 15 times during his introductory press conference Feb. 5. It's something he singled out as crucial to building a sustained winner.
And Blank agrees - while giving credit to McVay and Snead for their efforts in implementing the mentality.
"I think the collaboration that Sean McVay and Les Snead had was very, very close," Blank said. "I think there was a true definition of what a collaborative relationship is. ... If you really have a great relationship, it's almost you can speak without having to use words.
"I think he saw that relationship there."
Morris took several former Rams assistants with him to Atlanta, including quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson and associate head coach Jimmy Lake, who are now the Falcons' offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.
As for Los Angeles, McVay went in-house for Morris' replacement, promoting linebackers coach and pass rush coordinator Chris Shula to defensive coordinator.
And if McVay's track record is any indication, Shula could be next in line to receive a head coaching opportunity - much like Morris, who's stint in Los Angeles ultimately provided exactly the lessons needed for another shot.
