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Sean McVay will coach in his third NFC Championship game
The Los Angeles Rams will return to the NFC Championship for the first time since winning Super Bowl LVI four years ago.
It was quite a journey for LA return to the big game. The Rams missed the playoffs the following season, with a 5-12 record. The following two playoff trips saw Los Angeles lose in one-score games in the wildcard and divisional rounds.
Now looking to secure their ticket to Super LX, the Rams will take on NFC West divisional rival the Seattle Seahawks.
There is still more football for Sean McVay and co to play, but it’s never too early to start thinking about the following season.
Adding Reinforcement On Offense
GettyThe Rams could add a former Offensive Rookie of the Year winner to the team
The NFL recently announced the finalists for award season, with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford being named and looking like one of two frontrunners for MVP.
Still, Stafford is 37 years old and is in the latter stages of his career and could call it quits in the foreseeable future.
While the Rams have Jimmy Garoppolo as backup, there is no clear answer whether he will be the long-term replacement for Stafford, despite having playoff and Super Bowl experience.
Los Angeles has two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, which could be used to take a replacement for Stafford, including using it as a trade package to get a better selection and possibly drafting Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.
But Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes the Rams would be better off an experienced Pro Bowl quarterback.
Knox names Los Angeles the best landing spot for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to take the spot after Stafford.
“The future of the Arizona Cardinals‘ coaching situation remains unclear. So does the future of quarterback Kyler Murray. The first overall pick in the 2019 draft has never helped Arizona become a contender, and the Cardinals’ offense actually operated more efficiently without him this past season,” Knox wrote. “When Jacoby Brissett took over the offense and flourished, it sure felt like Murray’s days with the Cardinals were numbered.”
“The Cardinals would undoubtedly prefer to trade the 28-year-old, but finding a trade partner will be difficult. If Murray is released, the rival Los Angeles Rams could provide the perfect landing spot for him. He could rebuild his NFL stock under Sean McVay—as Baker Mayfield once did—and L.A. will eventually need an heir to the 37-year-old Matthew Stafford.”
Murray would give the Los Angeles a different offensive scheme, landing Sean McVay a “running” quarterback type player, with the player recording over 3,000 rushing yards and 3o touchdowns with his legs.
The big issue regarding Murray is in injury history, having played in every single game in one of the last five seasons.
But when healthy, he could perform, having thrown for almost 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns in his sophomore season back in 2020.
Sean McVay On Kyler Murray
GettyThe Rams head coach had some positive words about the quarterback
Outside of giving Sean McVay a new playstyle, getting Kyler Murray would get rid of the Cardinals of their $230.5 million quarterback.
McVay praised the offensive player, saying that preparing for Murray is a nightmare.
“He’s so dangerous because he can beat you in the pocket and then obviously if you lose a rush lane, he’s so explosive,” McVay said, via Rams Wire. “So being able to do things to try to make him uncomfortable – easier said than done, but that’s always going to be a key because he’s the focal point of their offense.”
The Rams could trade for the player, but they will have to eat his contract if they trade for him. But if the Cardinals release him, they will at least have to take on less of his money.
Matthew Stafford has given it all for the team, helping the franchise win a Super Bowl and could win a second before calling it a career.
Jason Garcia Jason Garcia is a sports contributor for Heavy Sports who joined the team in 2025, covering the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. More about Jason Garcia
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