Sean McVay Shifts Focus to Super Bowl After Contract Extension

With a fresh contract extension, Rams head coach Sean McVay is now honing in on guiding the team back to the Super Bowl.

In this pursuit, he faces a significant gap in his coaching staff. His offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur, is set to take the helm as the new head coach for the Arizona Cardinals.

This kind of turnover isn’t new for McVay. When you’re successful like he is, other teams in the NFL start reaching out for your assistants.

For a coach who has led the Rams to a respectable 92-57 regular season record, a Super Bowl LVI title, two Super Bowl appearances, and four NFC West championships, this trend is to be expected.

Since his arrival in Los Angeles in 2017, McVay has seen his coaching tree grow—seven of his assistants have moved on to become head coaches, including LaFleur.

McVay gets it; this is simply part of the game’s realities.

“The players are getting better opportunities that we can’t provide here, and that’s great for them,” he expressed last week.

LaFleur will join his brother Matt, who served as a McVay assistant and is now the head coach of the Packers, alongside Zac Taylor of the Bengals, Liam Cohen of the Jaguars, and Kevin O’Connell of the Vikings.

Interestingly, O’Connell, Cohen, and LaFleur all held the offensive coordinator role under McVay; uniquely, they’ve transitioned to head coach positions.

Each of these former assistants, including Cohen, Matt LaFleur, Taylor, and O’Connell, has led their respective teams to the playoffs, carving out a reputation as some of the NFL’s promising young coaches.

Additionally, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Brandon Staley have also made the jump to head coaching roles, with Morris recently becoming the defensive coordinator for the 49ers. Staley, meanwhile, is in his second season as the defensive coordinator for the Saints.

LaFleur won’t be the last assistant to depart for a head coaching opportunity. Chris Shula, the current Rams defensive coordinator, is being seen as a promising candidate, having interviewed for several head coaching vacancies.

Moreover, passing game coordinator Nate Schielhaas has also been active in interviews for head coaching positions with the Raiders, Browns, and Ravens, making him a strong contender to step in for LaFleur.

As McVay begins the search for LaFleur’s replacement, he may also need to consider filling additional roles if LaFleur decides to take some of the Rams’ assistants with him to Arizona.

The qualities McVay seeks in his assistants are distinct. “I think the first question is what’s the fit,” he remarked on what he looks for in coaching candidates. “It starts with character; the higher the character, the better. I don’t really care what kind of coach you are, but I don’t think you’re good if you lack high character. Adaptability is crucial, as is being a strong communicator who can connect with not just the staff but the players, as our job is to elevate their performance.”