Many go to Los Angeles in search of new found opportunity and success. This stands true for aspiring actors and actresses, musicians, and photographers. This remains true for members of the sports industry.
Take LeBron James as an example. After getting humiliated two years in a row by the Golden State Warriors, he took his talents to the City of Angels with hopes of joining young talent in order to knock off the basketball juggernaut.
But what is it like for a whole team to pull off this migration? There are many questions that must be considered. Will the new city embrace the team with open arms? Are the players comfortable picking up everything and moving to unknown territory? Perhaps it was easier for the LA Rams, since the franchise had already been based there in the past. Maybe more of a homecoming than a migration in this case. However, it was a homecoming for an awful team that would soon transform into a powerhouse.
LA was home to the Rams from 1946-1994. During that time, the franchise made 21 playoff appearances and even won the NFL Championship in 1951, before the Super Bowl era. Then in 1995, the franchise relocated to the city of St. Louis. The first decade in St. Louis showed much promise as the Rams hoisted the Lombardi trophy in 1999, with a 23-16 Super Bowl win over the Tennessee Titans. The Rams would return to the Super Bowl in 2001, but ultimately fell short, giving Tom Brady and the New England Patriot their first Super Bowl win.
From 2005-2015, the Rams did not win more than 8 games in any season, including a one-win season in 2009. During this ten-year span, the Rams did not make the playoffs and also hired seven different head coaches.
The Rams moved back to Los Angeles in 2016, and even though their first season was mediocre it was evident that they were making strides. Already having Aaron Donald, who is now arguably the best defensive player in football, and Todd Gurley, a tremendous running back, the Rams traded six draft picks to secure the number one overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and selected Jared Goff. The Rams also helped out Goff in the off-season by adding a stronger offensive line and more receiving weapons such as Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. It all came together after the firing of Jeff Fisher. The Rams basically ripped up the playbook and hired 31 year-old Sean McVay, who was then Washington’s offensive coordinator. This hiring made him the youngest head coach in NFL history.
In McVay’s first season as head coach, he led the Rams to an 11-5 record and captured their first division title since 2003. The Rams also led the NFL in scoring, after being the league’s lowest scoring team the previous season. To top off the season, Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald were awarded Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.
The Rams won their division again this season, with an outstanding 13-3 record. They easily handled the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round of the playoffs. In NFC Championship, they clinched an overtime thriller against the New Orleans Saints, fortunately being on the right side of one of the most controversial missed pass interference calls in NFL history.
On February 3, the Rams are set to take on perhaps the greatest dynasty in all of the sports, in the New England Patriots. This is a true David and Goliath matchup. 41 year-old Tom Brady versus 24 year-old Jared Goff. 61 year-old Bill Belichick versus 33 year-old Sean McVay.
Will Sean McVay become the youngest head coach in history to win a Super Bowl? We don’t know. But, what we do know is that the Los Angeles Rams have gone from the laughing stock of the league to legitimate championship contenders in essentially three years. So no matter the outcome of the game on Sunday, all you can do is sit back and tip your cap to the front office of this franchise because they have built something out in LA.
