After missing the playoffs for the first time in his head-coaching tenure, Sean McVay retooled his staff this offseason.
Gone are defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and special teams coordinator John Fassel, among several others. In their place, the team added new offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley and special teams coordinator John Bonamego.
The changes have McVay excited about the "fresh new perspectives" in the building.
"I would say (I'm) more rejuvenated and reinvigorated than I've ever been since I first got here," McVay said Wednesday during a press conference announcing the hires, via the team's official website. "That's a reflection of these men up here."
The Rams finished 9-7 in 2019, third in the tough NFC West. McVay believed after the season that changes were needed to get back to the top. Swapping out well-respected Phillips for Staley came in an effort to get the defense more diverse on a week-to-week basis. Also, adding an official offensive coordinator provides McVay a different voice to bounce plans off of after an up-and-down campaign.
"I think it can be a good thing, too, where you bring in some fresh new perspectives," McVay said. "What I like is as much as anything is you like a good challenge of, 'Hey, alright maybe I see it a little bit different and let's find out what's the best way to do it.' It doesn't matter who's right, it's what's right. ... I know I'm going to be a better coach for having been around these guys, the people that we're bringing in and the 14 coaches that are already in place that are going to continue to do a great job for us."
Battling in the most competitive division in the NFL heading into 2020, McVay hopes his changes can help L.A. leapfrog the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks and get back to the playoffs as the Rams open their shiny new stadium.
