Brandon Staley beats out Sean McVay for coach that best represents Los Angeles

Staley more “LA” than McVay? NFL.com thinks so.

The Rams’ Sean McVay is the longer tenured NFL coach in the Los Angeles area between him and Brandon Staley, both of whom have seamlessly fit into their hometowns and with their respective teams.

McVay has long been one of the “pretty boys” among the 32 head coaches and he’s arguably one of the last left after Kliff Kingsbury was fired soon after this past regular season came to an end. One might think McVay’s personality, persona, and fit in Los Angeles is one of the more perfect combinations across the league, but what if I told you that he actually did not get picked as the head coach to represent L.A. in a recent piece over at NFL.com?

Yes, that’s right.

In a new article by NFL Network’s Adam Rank, Brandon Staley made the list of the top five coaches in the NFL who best represent their cities. Staley came in at number five, behind Andy Reid (Kansas City, fourth), Robert Saleh (New York, third), Dan Campbell (Detroit, second), and Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia, first).

Here’s what Rank had to say about his selection of Staley over McVay.

“Most of you will say Rams coach Sean McVay should represent Los Angeles, which just seems so obvious. But McVay has always seemed more Manhattan to me. Or, at the very least, like a guy who is not from Southern California but kind of fits the stereotype of what other people not from Southern California think of when they think of someone from Southern California. He’s got that high-energy, take-no-prisoners approach…but that’s more like what you would see on a TV show, and not here in the streets of L.A.”

“Staley, on the other hand, is exactly who Southern Californians are. Actually, let me be more specific: He is exactly like the dudes I grew up with in Southern California. We recently had a golf tournament, and Staley would have fit in with all of my friends.”

“Here’s the thing about Staley: He’s got that low-key demeanor but also that aggressive streak that I’ve come to expect from people out here. Like, he’d be a super chill guy at the taco truck, but also willing to drop in on a wave before you get the chance to take it. Staley is that guy.”

I, too, also fully-expected McVay to be the selection over Staley, but I’m also not super surprised that he won out at the same time.

Watching Staley over the course of the past two years, his laid-back demeanor and the way he nourishes his relationships with his staff and players really do remind me of that one guy who everyone loves to hang out with by the fire at a beach party. He exudes the pure positivity that shocks and envelops those around it. As a person, he’s who everyone wants to be friends with.

But I also see that competitive fire, as well. One moment he’s chopping it up with his buddies and the next he’s betting you $20 that he can beat you in a game of sand volleyball, regardless of who his team is around him.

Maybe that’s just me, though.