High strung or standards?: LA Rams McVay cussed out QB Goff

Gotta love Les

I truly admire and respect LA Rams GM Les Snead. Many do not. But perhaps that is because his role is stuck with solving impossible problems. Two years ago, the Rams head coach wanted Jared Goff for the rest of his career, at any cost. At the end of the 2020 NFL season, the same head coach wanted Jared Goff off of the team, at any cost. See the problem?

No NFL general manager succeeds there. It’s unsolvable. But Snead doesn’t whine, wash his hands of the matter. He makes it happen. And then, in the midst or aftermath of the matter, he stays cool and calm, and even responds with a touch of wit and humor. Snead plays chess in a culture of checker-move decisions. And at the 6:42 mark, he admits to the emotions raging on the matter of the offense.

Les gives honest answers. Perhaps it’s encoded to try to spin things in the most positive way possible, but Les Snead is honest.  It’s his one unmistakable characteristic. He will talk about something up to a point where he cannot, and he will talk-around a topic. But he won’t lie about it.

He gives this response to the question of whether the team will trade or cut Jared Goff:

"‘Once we’re refreshed with emotions removed, we’ll sit down and try to figure it out, and especially on the offensive side of the ball. I know that Sean (McVay) definitely wants to make sure that we get back um…maybe being more explosive, scoring more points, not turning the ball over as much…’"

I found it very unusual for the ’emotions removed’ comment. It was Snead’s way of explaining that McVay was livid with Goff. Most likely wanted him cut from the team.  Now, overlay this discussion with the facts that followed, and preceded this press conference, and you can see that the Rams general manager was indeed between a rock and a hard place. it’s that type of honesty in the face of such a fine tightrope that is something to respect, and admire.

If you’ve never worked at a place with a cussing boss, I can personally attest that it’s a tough place to be. It places everyone on edge and creates the culture of walking on eggshells. For the young laid-back quarterback Jared Goff, the focus of that rage and anger, it must have felt unbearable.

Some players respond to the stick. Some respond to the carrot. In retrospect, it appears that Jared Goff felt like he got too much stick. And it seems as though Sean McVay did not believe that enough stick was used often enough upon his young starting quarterback.

Now, after all of this, go back and re-read Lindsey Thiry’s article if you have time.  I have re-read it four times, and each time I emerge with new details about what clearly became a rather toxic workplace for Goff. Sure, he was compensated enough to manage the situation better. And yes, this sort of thing happens in the NFL.

Let’s just hope Matthew Stafford has thicker skin. Head coach Sean McVay wants to win in the worst way. Historically, Stafford has played well enough to do so but has yet to enjoy a victory in the NFL Playoffs. And he no doubt understands what awaits him in the coach’s office if that happens during his watch.