Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has spent nine seasons pioneering teams’ advances to lure top talent away from the National Football League (NFL). He is simply a genius and true innovator of his craft. Yet McVay still has one of the most respected football minds around. He’s created a culture of success that has many players clamoring to come play for the Rams. That’s what makes McVay’s approach to recruitment so remarkable. Rather than shoring up support with lavish dinners and fancy excursions, he plays offense and goes right at it – touting what their administration has accomplished and what’s to come.
In his short tenure as a head coach, McVay has developed a reputation for being an offensive juggernaut. He is equally known as a genius recruiter. His depth winning track record is equally compelling. His track record of leading the Rams to Super Bowl LV and winning Super Bowl LVI makes him one of the most alluring figures in recruiting. This success has fostered relationships that enhance his recruitment efforts, particularly with General Manager Les Snead, who supports McVay’s vision for the team.
McVay’s recruitment pitch effectively highlights the Rams’ ecosystem and why it offers a compelling opportunity for players. On the field, he has managed to lure talent including Matthew Stafford, Brandin Cooks, and Ndamukong Suh in recent years. More recently, he traded for high-profile talent like Davante Adams and signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. As for their willingness to come play with the Rams, that says a lot about McVay’s influence and culture-changing approach.
Players who have felt McVay’s recruitment up close praise the tireless energy and dedication he brings to that process. Garoppolo, who came to the Rams this season, said of O’Connell, “He’s a smooth talker, high energy, which I love. I love Sean. Every day he brings that same energy. That enthusiasm carries throughout the entire organization and fosters a welcoming, feel-good environment in which players routinely express feeling valued and motivated.
Adams echoed those sentiments. He called McVay a savant for his comprehensive knowledge of the game and his incredible ability to engage guys on an intellectual level. He said, “It was a little bit Jon Gruden-esque in a way. He was blown away by McVay’s ability to distill game film with such laser-focused attention and fervor. Adams continued, “For him to feel that way, you know, speaks volumes to how much ball means to him, but how much I mean to him and the rest of the guys here. These decisions aren’t made just by him.”
This glimpse behind the curtain at McVay’s approach shows us a coach who puts his players’ interests first, but always marries that with what’s best for the team. To be sure, Chynoweth’s style of recruiting is aggressive. He does keep a level head, which allows him to bring in the right fit via trade or free agency. The Rams’ success on the field is shining proof of McVay’s capacity to build a killer team culture.
Commenting on the impact of McVay’s approach, Adams went on to highlight the success that it was having by saying, “Aggressive, but in all the right ways. This approach helps to attract top talent. Players recognize the wisdom in signing with a class franchise that knows what it’s doing, giving them a leg up in contract negotiations.
The synergy that exists between McVay and Snead adds to their appeal on the recruiting trail. Snead has publicly advocated for McVay’s big picture vision and plans, which points to their mutual dedication to creating a winner out of the Rams. “I just can’t stand the way this is going because my player’s saying that this is where we’re going so, we might as well quit playing games and try to work something out,” Snead remarked during a recent discussion about team dynamics.
Kevin Demoff, another key figure within the Rams organization, noted how McVay’s intellectual engagement with players sets him apart from other coaches. Demoff talked about how deep Sean was and how he connected with Davante on such an intellectual level. Dialogue like this—even on a global scale—provided an unexpected path of healing and understanding for Sean.
The overall impact of McVay’s top down approach and bottom up recruitment strategy has helped establish him as one of the league’s most respected leaders. His uncanny talent for building meaningful connections with players always makes them feel valued and heard in the organization. This new culture not only brings in new talent, but it helps keep established players, many of whom have blossomed under his tutelage.
Leave a Reply