There are many ways to go about being a head coach, and most have their own unique style of leadership. But they often fall into two major categories: drill sergeants and leaders of men. According to Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse, head coach Sean McVay is firmly in the latter category.
Advertisement
The former category, the drill sergeant, is a very common one among head coaches in professional sports, especially in football. You’re at the head of a machine that includes 50-100 players (not to mention the varying attitudes and opinions), and sometimes it’s easier to keep things strictly professional, much like the legendary Bill Belichick was known to do.
But the leaders of men have had a lot of success as well. You wouldn’t expect it from his computer-like brain, but according to Verse, McVay is a passionate leader who cares about his players both as athletes and as people.
“In football, sports in general, sometimes a coach is just a coach. He’s not there to help guide you or anything like that. He’s just, ‘Hey this is what I need you to do.’ … Sean’s not like that at all. He tries to help you elevate yourself not just as a football player or an athlete, but being a human being,” Verse said of his experience with McVay on Fitz and Whit.
Verse, who was L.A.’s first-round pick in 2024 and is now in his second season in the NFL, has already become a leader for the Rams. And he’s taking his cues from his head coach.
Verse admitted that he’s always had trouble remembering names, but this offseason, McVay challenged him and the other veteran leaders, as a “gesture to the rookies,” to memorize all their names before they arrived. When the sophomore linebacker asked why that was necessary, McVay explained his reasoning:
“He’s like, ‘Because it means more when they hear someone like, ya’ll two actually remember their name and the things ya’ll do for them. And not just leading on the field, but ya’ll actually care who they are individually.’ So we learned all the rookies names in like a day. And made all good relationships with the rookies because [McVay asked that of us]. Now I’m really intentional with learning everybody’s name, and that’s just a little small lesson I took from him outside of football.”
Andrew Whitworth, who played his final five seasons under McVay in L.A., was interviewing Verse for the podcast and agreed wholeheartedly with the LB’s characterization of their coach.
And McVay’s unique formula of humanizing and caring for his players while also using his impersonal computer-like ability to dissect other teams and create schemes is certainly paying dividends. He won a Super Bowl in 2021, and his Rams look poised to make another deep playoff run this year, sitting at 6-2 and atop the strong NFC West.
