The Los Angeles Rams are entering the season with a new face under center, and high hopes. The Rams have one of the most complete rosters in football, with star power everywhere. Even so, they have struggled to get over the hump and win a Super Bowl. Nonetheless, given all the reshuffling around the league, the Rams look to take that next step in 2021. That being said, here at the faces of the 2021 Los Angeles Rams…
2021 Los Angeles Rams: Faces of the Franchise
Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald has been one of, if not the best defender in football since entering the league in 2014. In a league dominated by offenses, it’s rare to see a defensive player garner so much spotlight. Donald is a rare breed and is not only on pace to become one of the best players in football history but maybe even the best defensive lineman to ever play the game. He already ranks 61st all-time in sacks with 85.5, which has earned him three Defensive Player of the Year awards. In addition to the awards, Donald has six All-Pro honors in only seven seasons in the pros.
Donald is the leader of the Rams and they have built the defense around him. Considered undersized coming out of Pittsburgh, he has proven every single doubter wrong. After all, he has put himself in the upper percentile of NFL players in the league’s history. To put it simply, he is a beast and not only a face of the Rams organization, but a face of the NFL.
Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams have been close to being arguably the best team in football over the past five seasons, however, many believe the quarterback position was holding them back. As a result, the Rams traded 2016 first overall pick Jared Goff and two future first-round picks to the Detroit Lions for quarterback Matthew Stafford. While he hasn’t played a snap in a Rams uniform, Stafford is arguably the most important player on the team. Can he prove to the Rams organization and fan base that he is enough of an upgrade over Goff to warrant the assets given up? The answer around the league is an overwhelming yes, but the results are yet to be seen.
Stafford, the face of the Lions organization for over a decade, never won a playoff game in a Lions uniform. At the same time, he cemented himself as arguably the best quarterback the franchise ever had with competitiveness on and off the field. Stafford himself has not been the issue, rather the lack of talent around him. The hope for both the Rams and Stafford is that the duo can help each other, the Rams are stacked with talent and could bring out the abilities that Stafford has always shown throughout his career, in route to a Super Bowl push.
Sean McVay
Coaches don’t often make it on these types of lists, but Sean McVay has the swagger and winning pedigree that makes him different. McVay became the head coach of the Rams at just age 30, making him the youngest coach in NFL history. He later became the youngest head coach to win a playoff game and appear in a Super Bowl. With a career record of 43-21, McVay is on pace to have an illustrious career as a head coach. The only thing holding him back is a Super Bowl ring, and the Rams had an exciting off-season in hopes of achieving this goal.
Winning aside, McVay provides a demeanor that millennials can relate to. Whether it’s his witty post-game press conferences or drafting from a Malibu beach house, McVay is relatable and not the prototypical 50+ head coach in the NFL that fans are used to. Additionally, McVay has begun to form his very own coaching tree around the league. Time will only tell if it compares to those of Andy Reid or Bill Belichick, who constantly produce successful coaches. McVay has already paved the way for three new NFL coaches, including new Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley. He has quickly put his name in the ring with other well-known coaches around the league as a face of the league.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
