Specter of TV announcing remains over LA Rams Sean McVay’s head

The LA Rams are one day, one game, away from the end of a long and disappointing 2022 NFL season. But that hasn’t stopped Rams rumors from surfacing.

As the LA Rams prepared for Super Bowl LVI, rumors began to break out about the LA Rams. The story was that Rams head coach Sean McVay was heading to become part of the Amazon Prime football broadcast team. That led to further rumors that Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald would retire.

Neither story proved true. The LA Rams regrouped, but never really rallied after their Super Bowl victory. In fact, the team had a rather forgettable season that stands at a record of 5-11, with one final game to play. So that was the end of those rumors, right? Well, not so fast. The rumors are back, and this time they’ve brought more.

Reports have indicated that the former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton would love to return to coach an NFL team in 2023, and due to the fact that he lives in Los Angeles, California, his two top choices are the LA Chargers and the LA Rams. But there are significant hurdles to cross, as is often the case with these types of tales. First, the New Orleans Saints hold the rights to Sean Payton and would demand compensation in order to allow him to coach for another NFL team.

Fans not satisfied with HC Sean McVay’s response

Oh, and the second problem? Well, both the LA Rams and LA Chargers have head coaches under contract right now, and neither team is actively seeking any replacements.  But we can’t let a few facts stand in the way of a good narrative, right? And so, the rumors have persisted, right up to the point where at a recent press conference, the media posed the question to Rams HC Sean McVay directly:

Okay, that is the transcribed version of the presser. But how did he sound? Was there any ‘between the lines,’ messaging that can make you a bit nervous?  Well, here is his answer as stated

The answer included the component that McVay admittedly “Has not run away from the fact that down the line that is something that (he) would be interested in…“.

So here is my take, and you can discount it for what it’s worth a free perspective. McVay is stuck in this response, because he very much wants to take a shot at sports broadcasting in the future, perhaps in the not-so-distant future. So he cannot be overly emphatic in stating that he is not interested in that new chapter of his career.

And the saga continues.

No other career comes close

But at the same time, I don’t think he is clearing out his desk anytime soon. There are few jobs in the nation that can give such an immediate adrenalin-packed rush as the NFL. For 17 games each year, the drama builds to a crescendo. But the feedback is immediate. The LA Rams either win or lose. In 2022, the losses outnumbered the wins by a significant amount.

So yes, it’s not exactly the high point of McVay’s career.

But on the personal side, he just got married. And at some point, he will likely answer the question of starting a family.  The life of an NFL head coach is a tough career, with pressure and travel, and uncertainty. At some point, McVay will choose a less erratic lifestyle to align more closely with a stable and promising personal life.

So answering questions right now is a tough call, because he knows that day will come. But as far as something happening immediately? I don’t believe that to be the case. Take that as you will. But don’t ask me the same question this time one year from now, as the answer may be an altogether different one.