Sean McVay is in a power position with open assistant coach roles

There isn’t a better place for an assistant coach to be right now than the L.A. Rams

The Los Angeles Rams have already parted ways with four key coaches this month, including defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, defensive line coach Eric Henderson, and assistant head coach Jimmy Lake, but those departures only highlight why Sean McVay’s next class of disciples are setup for success.

If there’s an up and coming assistant coach who isn’t being protected by his current team, I can guarantee that working for McVay is high on his list of desired opportunities. Just look at how McVay’s assistant coaches have done since he became the Rams head coach in 2017.

These coaches have left the Rams for promotions:

2017 McVay hired

OC Matt LaFleur – Left in 2018 to be Titans OC, then Packers HC in 2019

QBs Greg Olson – Left in 2018 to be Raiders OC

Asst. WR Zac Taylor – Left in 2019 to be Bengals HC

Safeties Ejiro Evero – Left in 2022 to be Broncos DC

TE Shane Waldron – Left in 2021 to be Seahawks OC

AHC Joe Barry – Left in 2021 to be Packers DC

Out of McVay’s first Rams staff, there are two current head coaches, a current OC (Waldron is now with Bears), while Evero and Barry are interviewing for jobs right now.

McVay inherited asst. OL coach Andy Dickerson, now an OL coach with the Seahawks although he may not be retained and has already had at least one OC interview.

2018 McVay hired

Senior Off. assistant Jedd Fisch – Left in 2020 to join Patriots, now the HC at University of Washington

Ass. WR Liam Coen – Left in 2021 to be Kentucky OC, returned as Rams OC, and is back with Kentucky

Some might point out that Coen had a failed stint as Rams OC, which is fair. But are you the offensive coordinator at Kentucky? That’s not only a significant coaching position for most coaches, he’s also been really good at Kentucky.

2019 McVay hired

TE Wes Phillips – Left in 2022 to be Vikings OC

Asst. QB Zac Robinson – Left in 2024 to be Falcons OC

DL/Run Game D Eric Henderson – Left in 2024 to be USC co-DC

McVay, himself a former TEs coach, can say that two of his tight ends coaches are NFL offensive coordinators today.

2020 McVay hired

DC Brandon Staley – Left in 2021 to be Chargers HC

OC Kevin O’Connell – Left in 2022 to be Vikings HC

RB Thomas Brown – Left in 2023 to be Panthers OC

Staley and Brown are free agent coaches right now, but both interviewing as coordinators. Maybe they don’t land that role this season, maybe they do, but Staley and Brown should be able to say that they’re “safe” coaches who won’t be unemployed for long.

2021 McVay hired

DC Raheem Morris – Left in 2024 to be Falcons HC

Morris came to the Falcons with an extensive resume, including head coach, interim head coach, defensive coordinator, and even work with offenses, so it’s not like McVay did much more than keep him busy until the next opportunity came along. But Morris also knew how much success McVay’s coordinators were having in getting opportunities in the NFL.

2023 McVay hired

AHC Jimmy Lake – Left in 2024 to be Falcons DC

Wouldn’t you know it, one of the least remarkable coaching hires from last year—Lake’s tenure was barely talked about—still turns into a coordinator position the next season.

There’s also tight ends coach Nick Caley, who has interviewed to be the Patriots offensive coordinator, and Jeremy Springer, who interviewed to be New England’s special teams coordinator.

Who will be McVay’s next hire? He could choose someone he’s already hired before like defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant as defensive coordinator or someone on the Rams staff to be the assistant head coach. Or he could go outside of the organization, likely to land the best available coach who wants to help the Rams win the Super Bowl next season.

Either way, Sean McVay is more likely to land a future head coach or coordinator than most in the league who have his job.