The Los Angeles Rams came oh so close to beating the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round. When Matthew Stafford hit Puka Nacua with a 37-yard strike to get the ball to the Eagles’ 21-yard line, some thought they might complete the comeback. The ball eventually reached the 13 before Philly made a stand and forced a turnover on downs. The game still seems to be lingering in head coach Sean McVay’s mind, but he also had words of encouragement for the fanbase heading into the 2025 season.
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Andrew Whitworth was one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever play the game. He logged 16 seasons, including his final five with McVay and the Rams. He still keeps in touch with his former coach, with whom he won a Super Bowl.
According to Whitworth, after the Eagles secured the championship, he spoke with McVay via text, who expressed regret over losing to the eventual champions. But he also offered some encouraging words.
“I was texting with Sean McVay after the game… He’s like, ‘You know what? They beat us. We had a chance to beat ’em- freaking one play away on the 13-yard-line. And now they’re the Super Bowl Champs.’ And he wrote me a text right after that, and he goes, ‘But you know what? We’re all 0-0 now.’ And I was like, yup, you’re right. Here we go, 2025,” recalled the former offensive tackle.
It seems as though McVay is quite hopeful about the upcoming season. However, he’s generally been known to be a very positive and energetic person — infectious in some ways. McVay often gets praise for motivating his players amid tough challenges, and this time feels no different.
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McVay should feel hopeful. The team overachieved this year and made it to the Divisional round of the playoffs. Not many had them getting out of the regular season. But the San Francisco 49ers faltered, and the Seahawks and Cardinals stagnated, opening the door for McVay’s Rams. Even in a Wild Card matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, not many had them winning. But they did, and had a chance to take down the eventual champs.
However, the Rams still need to figure out what they’re going to do with Stafford. While he’s not officially on the trade block like his teammate Cooper Kupp, the rumors around his future with the team have swirled in recent weeks.
He’s set to have a $49 million cap hit as a 37-year-old this upcoming season. It’s not an ideal contract for his skillset at this age. The Rams also have the option of declining to pay and leaving the final $49 million on the table.
It’ll be interesting to see which route the Rams choose. It’s a tricky situation and just one misstep could send their team into a downturn. Everything that they said they would deal with in the future back in 2021 is finally starting to affect them. But one thing is for certain: McVay is the right man for the job.
