Transcripts: Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach Sean McVay - Friday, September 29, 2023

Los Angeles Rams Transcripts - Head Coach
Sean McVay - Friday, September 29, 2023

Head Coach Sean McVay

(Opening Remarks)

“Okay, injury wise we haven't practiced yet, but (OL) Alaric (Jackson) will do
some stuff with our guys and he'll be questionable for the game. (WR Ben
Skowronek) ‘Benny Sko’ will be limited as well as (TE Tyler) Higbee. Both those
guys will be listed as questionable. That's where we're at.”

(On if he expects Jackson to play)

“I'll find out. It'll probably come all the way down to a game time decision.”

(On if OL Joe Noteboom will move to left tackle if Jackson does not play)

“There's a possibility. We're working through a couple different things and if
that's the case, you'll find out when we kickoff.”

(On if OL Kevin Dotson will be active this weekend)

“It's a good chance of that, yeah.”

(On Higbee’s contract extension and what makes him special)

“Well, it's not exclusive to just this year. It's who he's been. I've been fortunate
to be around Tyler for seven years now. He is a glue guy for this team. Really
cool to see him honored as a captain, voted on by his teammates this year. He
epitomizes a lot of the things that we're looking for in Rams, mentally and
physically tough, loves to compete. He's got versatility. We ask a lot of our tight
ends. He sets the example every single day. I love Tyler Higbee. Really happy
for him and that's a good thing for us.”

(On what makes Higbee a good fit for the offense)

“I think it's always about the people and he's a special person that knows how
to go about the work the right way. He's got a skill set, a size, an ability to be
able to play all over the formation. He's a very smart football player as well. I
got a real appreciation when I first started coaching, you get an opportunity to
coach the tight ends. Working with a guy like (Former Washington TE) Chris
Cooley and the versatility that he had. Tyler kind of approaches the game
similar to Chris. Even though their style is a little bit different, but both those
guys have the ability to compete in-line. They can play in the slot. They can
play opened up from the formation. They're good in protection if you're asking
them to do that, and you've seen that reflected from Tyler in all three of the
games that we've played this year. That's been a consistent thing that he's
shown throughout the course of his career. The things that you don't see when
he's playing is the way that he handles himself, the way that he connects and
cares about his teammates, the way that he models the way every single day. I
love Tyler Higbee and really happy for him and his family.”

(On how involved he gets in contract conversations)

“We have great communication. That was something that when we had gotten
ahead of the curve, (VP Football and Business Administration) Tony (Pastoors)
had great dialogue with (Higbee’s Agent) Erik Burkhardt. You realize where
these dialogues are. You realize that he's a guy that is in the last year of his
contract. We want to get him extended. He's a guy that, like I just said, kind of
represents a lot of those things. So that's a conversation that's been ongoing.
Tony and Eric have had good conversations this week and I said, ‘There you
go. Let's go ahead and get that thing done.’ Those are things that you don't
need to get too far in the weeds, especially this time of year because of where
the focus is, but it is something that there's an inclusive dialogue that always
exists between myself, (General Manager) Les (Snead), Tony, (Chief Operating
Officer) Kevin (Demoff) and we're always on the same page with those things.”

(On how important it is to have a pillar guy like Higbee around in the
future with a such a young team)

“Very much so. I think that's always consistent with your teams. There's
inevitably transitions that occur from year to year. When you look at it, even just
from playing (Indianapolis Colts) these guys in ‘21 in week two, and then you
look at some of the turnover, well, there's still some consistent really good
players that they had then that they still have now. That's what you always want
to be able to have. I think it's been earned from Tyler and that was something
that was important to us.”

(On if he has seen Tyler practice and play with a different level of
competitiveness since returning from injury and entering the season
healthy)

“I think that's what he's always been. I think there's a motivation and I think
everybody looks internally, but he's always been motivated to play well for his
teammates. I think there's a healthy edge and a chip on your shoulder, if you
will, when things don't always go down the way that you want and that could be
for a variety of reasons. But he's always been supremely securing himself. I
didn't get into the weeds in some of those conversations, but I saw a guy that
was intentional about approaching the offseason the right way, that wanted to
make sure he took care of his body and I think you've seen that reflected in the
way that he's played through the first three weeks. He's always been a great
competitor. If you said, ‘What's the one thing that's been consistent?’ Those
things have been consistent. However he felt about that kind of stuff, he's too
much of a pro to share that with me.”

(On the similarities and differences of the Colts from two years ago to
now)

“Well, they're really well coached, just like they were then when (Former Colts
Head Coach and Carolina Panthers Head Coach) Frank Reich was the head
coach. I have tremendous respect for (Colts Head Coach) Shane Steichen and
the job that he's done. You look at it and it's really in all three phases. I thought
they did a great job, especially at the end of the game, being able to handle the
ebbs and flows knowing how difficult it is to go play at a place like Baltimore.
Did a great job against a Houston team that had a big win last week and they
went back and forth toe to toe with Jacksonville in week one. So there is
differences because there's not continuity. You’ve got new coordinators, new
schemes, but there's still some consistent things that you see and there's still
some consistent players, like I mentioned, that have done a good job. But it is a
very new challenge. Every single week is a new week, even going from last
week and the things that you say, ‘Okay, well, let's not make some of the same
mistakes, but how does it really apply?’ Some things, absolutely and some
things maybe aren't quite as applicable. But the important thing is let's continue
to take steps in the right direction and we're excited about the challenge to go
compete and we know it's going be a good challenge.”

(On Colts K Matt Gay kicking five field goals last week and converting
four from beyond 50 yards)

“Just outstanding, it's so exciting. What do you mean by that question?
(laughter) I'll tell you what, Matt made a lot of those kicks for us and so I'm
grateful for that. I don't love having to play against a guy like that, but (K) Brett
(Maher) has done a nice job, like you said. We were fortunate that it worked out
that we were able to get Brett. I think he's done a really nice job, especially over
the last couple weeks. I love the way that he responded, even in Seattle with
some things that weren't always within the framework of his control. But Matt
Gay was an awesome player, great guy. I was so happy for him and his family
to be able to get the recognition that he got when he was here and then also to
be able to go earn that contract. It's bittersweet but you're happy for him
because he meant so much to us and I love the person. But what the hell kind
of question is that?” (laughter)

(On how much he weighs WR Cooper Kupp’s opinion on when he can
begin practicing again)

“One hundred percent. It's our dialogue. I trust the way that he knows how to
feel so he's practicing next week and we're going to see how he feels.
Obviously, there's opinions that really matter but he's the one that matters the
most to me because I know he knows his body. We're not going to do anything
that's reckless, but I also have enough trust and confidence in our relationship
knowing how intentional he is about educating himself, using the information at
his disposal. But there's always going to be a risk no matter what, walking out
this door, getting in your car… So if he feels good enough and the situation has
been in alignment with we're ready to get him, we're going to get Cooper back
and ready to compete for us because he's a big part of our team. And I know
he's put a lot of work in whenever… So, yeah, he weighs a lot in that so that's
the most important thing to me.”

(On if Kupp will start practicing next week)

“Yeah, he'll start practicing next week. Yes, we will start that next week.”

(On looking at the possibility of being 2-2 or 1-3)

“Yeah, I don't get ahead of myself like that. I really look at it as let's go take
care of business, let's control the things that we can control. I think you get
yourself all out of whack. You can even worry about a lot of the makeable plays
that we think we could have made last week, that doesn't matter. What matters
is how we approach today, how we have our focus razor sharp for a great
practice today, getting ready to make sure that we handle all of our business on
Saturday, and then let's come out ready to peak and go compete to the best of
our ability. But I think you start getting into that down the line, you can't do that.
There's just so many things that are just unpredictable. Let's be present. Let's
be in the moment. When Cooper Kupp's ready to go, we're going to get him
back and we're not going to do that in a reckless manner, but his opinion
weighs heavily. I don't think about anything other than let's go have our focus
and concentration on trying to accomplish a goal against a great challenge this
week.”

(On DB Russ Yeast’s development and playing every snap so far this
year)

“Yeah, I think the coolest thing is it's been earned and it's been earned by an
intentional approach. It's been earned by the way that he approached his rookie
year and then just made the most of (it), whether it's winning isolations as a
gunner, making big plays against the Carolina Panthers last year, then getting
an opportunity towards the latter part of the season to start playing at safety
and really understand the nuances of what we're asking, the way that he
approached the offseason program, how coachable he is from (Defensive
Backs/Pass Game Coordinator) Aubrey (Pleasant) and (Secondary) Coach
Beake, and just the natural toughness and the overall athleticism that he plays
with. I love Russ Yeast. I love his demeanor. I've been really proud of him and I
know he's going to continue to just get better and better because of the way
that he approaches every single day.”

--RAMS--

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#HelmetHornsMatter

“Well, the color is good, I like the metallic blue,” Youngblood recently said while laughing, via NFL Journal. “The horn is terrible. It looks like a ‘C.’ When I first saw it on the logo I honestly thought it was a Charger logo.

“Now when I see it on the helmet, it just isn’t a ram horn. There is no distinct curl like a mature ram horn. I don’t know how the Rams could get that wrong. That is your symbol and it has been for what? Seventy years or more? Longer than I have been alive? It’s just not us, it’s not the Rams.”---Mr. Ram Jack Youngblood