4 reasons why LA Rams may not fire underperforming ST Coordinator Chase Blackburn

Reason II: Rams blew up their special teams in 2023

When the LA Rams failed to match the Indianapolis Colts offer for former Rams Pro Bowl placekicker Matt Gay, fans had to realize that the path taken by the team would be chaotic for the special teams unit in 2023. And across the board, Rams fans were most often disappointed by special teams' play that seemed anything but special.

But is that as much a fault of newly hired ST Coordinator Chase Blackburn? Or is that simply that organization's repercussions of a strategy that wiped out every special team's veteran player? We have learned time and time again that much of the success in the NFL is more than just raw talent. The NFL's top teams have continuity in their front office, coaching staff, and players.

For the LA Rams, it was not only a brand new season. The entire special team's program had to be reinvented. The LA Rams special teams apex was that of the 2017 and 2018 NFL seasons. But scroll back to the first slide. Those were the sixth and seventh seasons for then-Rams ST Coordinator John Fassel. It's unfair to pit the performance of a new ST Coordinator to one who has had years of working with the LA Rams organization.

The Rams had to start at ground zero in 2023. The Rams had to find and develop a rookie kicker, punter, and long snapper, and even find a return specialist or two simultaneously. Even rookie long snapper Alex Ward had to be replaced mid-season after injury sent him to Injured Reserve for the final four games of the season.

But the most important reason for the Rams to bring back ST Coordinator Chase Blackburn may be the simplest reason of all. The team spent next to nothing on the group in 2023: