LA Rams News: Players choose Goff, Donald among 2020 team captains

In LA Rams News: Players have elected Jared Goff and Aaron Donald among others to be their 2020 season team captains

The LA Rams’ players have spoken. Rather, they have voted, and that election has determined the team’s 2020 team captains. The team had decided upon four offensive players, three defensive players, and one special team player. Several players return once more to the honor, while some players are new to the job.

2020 captains are quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Robert Woods, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, defensive lineman Aaron Donald, defensive lineman Michael Brockers, safety John Johnson III, and punter Johnny Hekker.

Goff, Whitworth, Donald, and Hekker are returning team captains from 2019.  Last year, the Rams also elected Eric Weddle and Aqib Talib as captains. Weddle has since retired, and Talib is currently a free agent after failing to extend with the Miami Dolphins.

LA Rams leadership

The LA Rams are a rather young team, but the team is by no means lacking in veteran leadership. In fact, it is that blending of young energetic talent and steady veteran leadership that makes this roster so very dangerous, despite being overlooked in most NFL discussions over potential playoff teams.

The honor is often interpreted as the player’s respect for veterans who not only lead by their example on the football field but lead in the locker room as well. Players usually elect veterans who have been with the team several years

The Rams will lean heavily upon that leadership this year. While this is a team with solid veterans at most critical positions, the depth chart is loaded with young rotational players who are eager to make a positive impact this year,

Team captains

The role of the team captain is largely ceremonial. They are the players who take the field to call the coin flip to determines the team to receive the opening kickoff. Over time, the role has been interpreted in more discerning ways. If the team’s quarterback, Jared Goff, is not among the captains, analysts interpret that as meaning he is unliked by his teammates.

So too if the team has a statistical leader like running back, wide receiver, interception, or sack leader absent from the ranks of captain, some will run with the “what’s wrong with this picture?” narrative. Thankfully, the Rams have added all of their statistical leaders to their team captains.

On that note, the Rams star cornerback Jalen Ramsey was not voted in as a team captain.  After all, he has only played for the team for half a season.