LOS ANGELES — When Sean McVay made his decision to return as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams after a period of reflection following the 2022 season, it was a decision he made for more than just the 2023 season, he said Friday.
Speaking in a news conference for the first time since deciding to remain the Rams’ coach, McVay said it was “really important” for him to make sure he was “making a decision that’s in alignment for years to come, not an every-year type of deal.”
“I’m really committed to not having this become a story every year, because I know that’s probably something that people are asking or wondering,” McVay said. “And I don’t take that lightly. That was why the reflection. Because there was never a doubt whether you wanted to coach again. It’s really just, are you going to be able to have the appropriate perspective to be the best version of yourself for the players and the coaches? And I feel confident that that can exist moving forward.”
During McVay’s end-of-season news conference in January, McVay said he would be taking “the appropriate time” to make a decision on his future, acknowledging that he wasn’t ready to be done coaching forever.
McVay had signed a contract extension during the 2022 offseason that runs through the 2026 season, matching the length of the deal signed by general manager Les Snead.
This isn’t the first time McVay’s coaching future and possible retirement has come up. After the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory, McVay was asked whether he would return to Los Angeles in 2022. He responded, “We’ll see.” McVay referenced that comment Friday when talking about how and why he doesn’t want this to be a conversation that takes place every year.
The Rams are coming off a 5-12 season, McVay’s worst losing campaign since he was hired in Los Angeles in 2017. McVay said the losing season certainly wasn’t the only factor in his decision to return but was one reason why he didn’t want to walk away from the job this offseason.
“To say that as a competitor, that that’s something that I would’ve felt comfortable walking away with, no, I would not have felt comfortable walking away from a situation where I think I owed more to the people than that,” McVay said.
McVay’s commitment has been made clear to the Rams’ front office. On Thursday, Snead said he believed McVay’s decision to return was for “a longer-term range.”
“I definitely think Sean’s taken the right steps, took a step back, and definitely has an action plan,” Snead said. “I think when he sat down to determine whether he wanted to coach or not in 2023, it was more than just 2023. … So I don’t think you’re going to see Sean each year determine whether he wants to coach or not.
“I do think there’s a possibility where every year you might hear his name in television based on if there’s a job opening there. But I don’t think that’s going to be Sean ignited. I think that’s just where he is in his stage of the career, how much those networks appreciate Sean, and maybe what they think he can do for them in a color role. So we might see that every year, but I don’t think you’re going to see Sean trying to determine whether he really wants to coach or not. I think he spent some time this year and figured that out.”
Ultimately, McVay said, the “most important thing” for him was “reestablishing a purpose,” which came from “being reminded of what a blessing this is to be in this role.”
“This is a blessing to be able to do this,” McVay said. “I love coaching. I love working with players and coaches. And I think in some instances, when you lose your way, you can lose perspective on things. And for the time that I had to reflect, I’m really grateful.”