As a warm June breeze blew in off the Pacific Ocean, Rams team president Kevin Demoff stepped up to a microphone at a posh oceanfront resort in Maui to address players, coaches and guests at a celebratory luau.
The Rams had traveled to Hawaii to end offseason workouts — and to kick off a drive they aim to end with another Super Bowl title.
“This is truly your time to come celebrate, enjoy, reflect and get ready for what’s going to be an amazing adventure,” Demoff told the crowd.
The Rams, with a talented and deep roster led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, are primed for a possible run to a third Super Bowl under ninth-year coach Sean McVay.
In 2018, in his second season, McVay led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII. Three years later, the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
This season’s Super Bowl will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the rival San Francisco 49ers.
The stadium features a tribute to John McVay, Sean’s late grandfather, who helped the 49ers win five Super Bowl titles as a team executive.
“That would be special,” McVay told The Times when asked if he could envision winning a Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium. “That would mean a lot.”
With Stafford entering his 17th NFL season, and the addition of three-time All-Pro receiver Davante Adams to a roster that features star receiver Puka Nacua, running back Kyren Williams and defensive stars such as Kobie Turner and Jared Verse, McVay is confident the Rams can have a special season if they weather adversity, avoid key injuries and “hit their stride” at the right time.
“I do have a lot of belief,” he said. “Expectations are the great killer, though. We don’t talk about those. … There’s a lot of reasons why I feel there’s a chance for us to do some cool stuff.”
Start with Stafford.
The top pick in the 2009 NFL draft has seemingly recovered from a back issue that sidelined him for all of training camp and several weeks of preseason practices.
Stafford has looked sharp, and he told reporters this week that he was ready for a season that begins on Sunday when the Rams play host to the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford puts on his helmet during the NFC divisional playoffs against the Eagles in January.
(Derik Hamilton / Associated Press)
Does Stafford, 37, think about taking hits?
“I’m going to go play the game,” he said. “Whatever happens, happens. I’m playing like I always play.”
Nacua benefited from Stafford’s talent and experience during Nacua’s record-setting rookie season in 2023. Last season, Nacua amassed nearly 1,000 yards receiving, despite playing in only 11 games because of a knee injury and McVay’s decision to rest starters in the regular-season finale.
Now Adams, who played with future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets, gets the opportunity to play with Stafford.
“The conversations that we have are smart,” Stafford said. “They’re on the point … and it’s been great to work with him. So far, I’ve had a blast and can’t wait to get out there and play on Sunday.”
Said Adams: “For a new player coming to a new team like this it’s just a clean slate. You can’t really ask for much more than that.”
McVay is eager to see what the veterans can do together.
“The best teams are the ones that have player ownership and autonomy,” McVay told reporters. “These guys have earned the right to be able to have that. … There’s a beauty in what these guys can do.”
Edge rusher Verse, the 2024 NFL rookie defensive player of the year, leads a defense that features linemen Turner, Braden Fiske and new addition Poona Ford among others. The front and pass rush is expected to help create turnover opportunities for a secondary that added no new players during the offseason.
Last season, the Rams advanced to the NFC divisional round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Rams return to Philadelphia in Week 3 to play the Eagles and nemesis Saquon Barkley.
In each of the previous two seasons, the Rams fought back from poor starts and made the playoffs.
In 2023, they had a 3-6 record at midseason — and finished 10-7. Last season, they were 1-4 but then came together and finished 10-7.
McVay was asked if he thought that the Rams’ preseason approach — he does not play starters and other significant contributors in preseason games — affected those starts.
“I don’t, but I can see why it would be a convenient narrative,” he said, adding: “I totally understand where people would question it based on starting 3-6 or 1-4.
“I’m always going to try to make the decisions, and we are always going to try to make the decisions that we feel like are best for the collective and for our football team. I understand that it’s not for everybody, but there’s a lot of thought that goes into what we think is best.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll start the right way.”
And finish even better.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
