Sean McVay will stay on as Rams coach after contemplating future
Sean McVay isn't ready to step away from coaching yet.
McVay, 36, will return as Los Angeles Rams coach, according to reports from ESPN and NFL Media, after contemplating his future.
McVay is 60-38 as Rams coach and has a Super Bowl win, but this season the Rams went 5-12 and there were reports near the end of the season that he might not return. McVay acknowledged at the end of the season he'd take some time to figure out what he wanted to do.
It took him less than a week to decide to return.
Sean McVay had a rough season
It's not a big surprise McVay considered his future after a rough 2022 season. The Rams started losing, injuries piled up, and a Super Bowl defense went sour fast. The Rams went 5-12, setting a record for most losses for a reigning Super Bowl champion.
It wasn't the first time McVay's future as a coach has been in doubt. Last year, there were reports that McVay was considering an early retirement. Amazon reportedly was willing to offer him $100 million over five years to broadcast games, according to the New York Post, which was more than he was making as the Rams' coach. McVay quickly decided to come back to the Rams. It looked like a way to get a raise out of the Rams and he'd continue as their coach for a long time.
Then the terrible 2022 season unfolded, and there were similar reports that McVay was considering stepping away. He didn't deny at the end of the season that he was going to contemplate his future. Rams assistants were allowed to seek other jobs, with McVay's future in doubt.
But McVay will return to a team that has some work to do this offseason.
McVay has had historic success
Having McVay back is a great first step for the Rams as they try to bounce back.
When he was hired, McVay immediately turned around the Rams. They went 11-5 his first season. In his second season, the Rams went 13-3 and made a Super Bowl, though they lost to the New England Patriots. McVay got another shot to win a Super Bowl, with Matthew Stafford as his new quarterback via a trade with the Detroit Lions, and they beat the Cincinnati Bengals in a thrilling game. McVay is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl. He has established himself as one of the best in the game, which is why it was hard to imagine he'd step away at 36 years old.
There's work to be done. The top-heavy roster, built to win now at the cost of cap space and future draft picks, fell apart this season. Perhaps it will be a quick rebound if everyone, including defensive tackle Aaron Donald, is back and the Rams stay healthy.
Had McVay stepped away, it looked like the Rams might be in for a tough transitional period. Having their coach return is a big offseason win.
