TRANSCRIPTS: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, DL Aaron Donald, OL Andrew Whitworth – Media Availability – August 19, 2020

TRANSCRIPTS: Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, DL Aaron Donald, OL Andrew Whitworth – Media Availability – August 19, 2020
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay
(On CB Jalen Ramsey's play against RB Cam Akers)
"Yeah, I think it's good. Those guys have a good relationship going back to Florida State and the appreciation they have for their Florida State background. I think (C Jalen (Ramsey) cares a lot about (R Cam (Akers) and he's welcomed him to the NFL, if you will. But, those guys, I think it was a good physical, smart, real play — we like those. We just don't want to take those shots from the side. It was a frontal shot, and that's what's made Jalen a really special corner."

(On QB John Wolford's hit at the end and his physical play)
"That was not smart. We don't do that. I told (Q John (Wolford), and I know it was with the best of intentions, but that's a really bad place to put a DB when you can't hit the quarterbacks. You get excited as a competitor around some of those redzone situations, but he'll be smart. We're not ever going to lower our shoulder on defenders when they have a red jersey — unless he wants to be tackled."

(On the limited opportunities of physical practices during training camp)
"That's one of the things that you educate these guys on. We'll give our opportunities to push it a little bit, but do it in a smart way. We will do some tackle stuff with some guys to really be able to evaluate them, but you want to be smart with who you allow to do those kind of things. I think that's one of the things that separates the pros from some of these younger guys as they understand how to practice full speed and they don't let their emotions get in the way of playing the game the right way under the parameters at which we're operating in practice."

(On S Terrell Burgess)
"He's done a really good job. Smart player, great athleticism for a safety. He has some flexibility to be able to play at the nickel position at the star for us. Really, very conscientious, made some big plays. When he gets his hands on the ball, he's catching it. That's one of the things I've been really impressed with. Our DB group as a whole, if they've gotten their hands on the ball, they've pretty much caught it. They've caused a lot of turnovers in a short period of time, which is great for our defense and not good for the offense. But, I've been very pleased with (S) Terrell (Burgess) and really our backend as a whole."

(On having the ability to move pieces around in the secondary)
"It's huge. To be able to have guys that can play in multiple spots, it gives you more depth. It also gives you versatility in some of the personnel groupings you can activate to an offense to cause confusion. We certainly have a lot of depth. I think Coach (Cornerbacks Coach Aubrey) Pleasant and Coach (Safeties Coach Ejiro) Evero have done an excellent job developing that backend. These guys are buying into some of the new principles that we're implementing coverage-wise and I’ve been very pleased with that group as a whole. I think the leadership from Jalen and from (S) John Johnson (III) has been instrumental. (C Troy Hill has played a lot of football, done a lot of really good things and I think those guys are rubbing off on their teammates in a very positive way."

(On an upcoming scrimmage at SoFi Stadium)
"Yes. You know, as far as the specifics around it, but the first scrimmage we'll have, which will be the (August) 22nd, and will start around 5 o’clock (p.m.) to simulate a similar kickoff time to Dallas. Then on the (August) 29th, it'll be around 1 o’clock (p.m.) that we'll start that to get a feel for what a lot of our home games will feel like. Those are the general times that we'll end up starting that. But, as far as the specifics around it, I'll wait until I get the injury report, but it will be a lot of good work. We'll try to mimic and emulate a game-like situation as much as possible in those two opportunities."

(On whether the scrimmage will be physical or if the point is to become familiar with the stadium)
"It's a little bit of both. We still want to practice smart, but we will have some opportunities with specific players, like I mentioned. Play real football, might tackle. Who those guys are is yet to be determined. I think that will provide a real opportunity for us to use and not necessarily use the lack of preseason games as an excuse to not evaluate these guys. Those two opportunities will serve as a chance for some guys that would have gotten a lot of snaps in the preseason to maybe play some real football where we're tackling and doing things that a real one would entail."

(On the growth and progression of the offensive line)
"I think they've done nice job, they really have. (Offensive Line) Coach (Aaron) Kromer does a great job developing those guys. They’ve got a lot of meaningful snaps. I've been particularly impressed with (OL) Austin Corbett and (OL) Joe Noteboom. Joe was really playing good football before he ended up getting injured against the Niners (San Francisco 49ers) early on in the (2019) season. I think he picked up where he left off. Looks very comfortable, looks healthy, looks explosive and strong. Same thing with Austin Corbett, who really has some position flexibility. Both those guys have done a really nice job. I think (OL) Rob Havenstein's been outstanding, looking like the guy that we know he's capable of and the command that (OL) Austin Blythe has demonstrated has been exactly what want from the center position. You know ‘Whit’ (OL Andrew Whitworth) is going to continue to do his thing. I think with some of the things that he got cleaned up, he looks as healthy as he's been since we've been together, which is a very, very impressive thing. You're not surprised by anything from him at this point."

(On how long he expects S Taylor Rapp to be out)
"I don't know specifically. I'm hoping that in the next week or so he'll be able to get back out on the field. I'll get with (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott). He is making good progress, but I would anticipate in the next week we'll have some clarity on hopefully him returning to play."

(On how he would describe Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley out on the field)
"He's locked in. When you get into some of these competitive periods, I might try to yell across the field to get his attention on something. We talk about being totally present, and he is certainly present. He's so present, that he can't hear anything else. He's got great focus and concentration. Everything that he's done, he's checking all of those boxes. We know that we have a long way to go, but his leadership in the meeting room, on the grass, his ability to make corrections in real time. That's what separates the good coaches from the others, is the ability to quickly identify problems and fix them on the field before you have to wait to get to the tape to do that. He definitely has a feel for what's going on with all 22 every single snap. And like I said, it's not exclusive to the interviews with you guys, he's done a great job, in what's in my mind, the most important stuff even though I want him to be nice to you guys too (laughs)."

(On RB Darrell Henderson Jr.)
"He's done a nice job. (R Darrell's (Henderson Jr.) a guy that I think last year, had some unfortunate injuries that led to not maybe getting as much work as we thought he was going to get. But, he did flash some things that got us so excited about taking him out of Memphis. I think he's taking a real big step in the right direction. He's showing big picture understanding of everything in all phases – pass game, run game, protection. I continue to go back to just (Running Backs Coach) Thomas Brown's influence on that room as a whole. It’s definitely showing. When you guys get a chance to meet him, you'll realize why I think he's such a special coach."

(On the kicking competition)
"It's very early on. We're balancing up. We’re kicking field goals every day. Two guys each day and alternate it. So, one of those guys is getting every third day off. There's going to be a lot of opportunities for those guys to compete for us to evaluate and figure out which one we feel best about come September 13th."

(On whether there's a chance two kickers will be kept on the roster)
"That's a long way away from making that decision. Ideally, you'd have a guy that you feel really good about, but I certainly don't want to lock myself into that answer right now."

(On what he liked from RB Cam Akers today)
"He made a couple of nice runs down in the red area. We had a tight zone, he ended up winding back and you could see the speed to finish and get it in there. I think he's run tougher the last couple days. You talk about how aggressively these defensive players in this league attack at the football and how important that ball security is. He's got great natural ability as a runner. I think he sees things, he's got a great feel and tempo to his game. But, you've got to make sure how important that is and I think he's really been mindful of that. There's been an increased urgency in him in the last couple days, specifically when the pads have come on, and that’s been very encouraging to us."

(On the progression of QB John Wolford from last year to this year)
"I think just the ability to get reps. John didn't get many reps other than running the scout team last year and he was splitting those reps with (Q Blake Bortles, so you can really see. (Offensive Coordinator) Kevin (O'Connell) and (Quarterbacks Coach) Liam (Coen) have spent a lot of time. He's put a lot of time in where he's really got a great understanding and he can articulate and communicate to you exactly what we're trying to get done and a lot of the different things in our offense. Then just getting the reps. Repetition is the mother of learning. I think he's really taken advantage of it. I think he's understanding the tempo of these different concepts. Be able to read with your feet, making quick decisions. Then you see the athleticism, when you get him out in space and you move the launch point, he's got the ability to make a lot of different athletic throws off platform. He's an exciting guy and you can see his teammates really enjoy being around him as well."



Rams DL Aaron Donald
(On how padded practices have been going)
"It's been good. Just getting back into football. Get a little bit of banging out there, getting yourself back in football shape, so it’s been good."

(On the importance of having DL Michael Brockers on the roster now that DL A'Shawn Robinson is out)
"Well, Michael Brockers has been a playmaker since I been with the Rams since St. Louis to the L.A. Rams now. So, I'm excited and I'm glad that he’s back because I feel like he's a huge piece to the puzzle that we need and as soon as A'Shawn’s back he’s going to help us big time. But you know, we got ‘Bash’ (DL Sebastian Joseph-Day) in there, big body guy and (DL) Greg (Gaines) that’s been doing great all summer, having a great camp so far."

(On his favorite memory with Brockers)
"I’ve got a million memories with ‘Brock’. Good, some good ones, some funny ones, some bad ones. So, it’s been a lot of ups and downs. I feel like Brock's the guy. He's a leader. You know, he's a leader. He's a guy, he pushes me, I push him. So, having a guy like that and having the opportunity to play seven years with and grow with, I think having a guy like that on my side will just make me better and push me that much more."

(On where he stands in making sure he's not overthinking throughout training camp)
"Well yeah, understanding the gameplan, but you’re still going to make mistakes here and there, little hiccups, but that's a part of camp with a new scheme, new playbook. For the most part, everything's good. I know I missed a call today at practice, but you’ve got to learning, keep playing, and don't allow that to slow you down. So, I'll get better, we'll get better as a team. We’ve just got to keep practicing and keep working."

(On if he influenced guys to not wear the face shield helmet)
"No, everybody makes their own decisions. We're all grown men. In my opinion, I don't think it's helping nothing if you where it. We’re still out there tackling each other, sweating on each other. So, that little mask right there ain't going to protect nothing. If somebody (does have) the virus, we’re just going get it too, so we’ve just got to go out there and play and hopefully everybody's good."

(On if any player has tried the face shield at some point)
"I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure a guy probably, a young guy probably did, but I'm not sure. I didn't see anybody wearing it, so I'm not too sure."

(On how this defense is different in comparison to the last few years)
"It’s been good. I don't want to say too much, or give too much away, but there's things that you like. You know, there's hiccups that we’ve just got to get better at, but that's a part of camp and part of learning a new scheme and trying to adjust to certain things. So, there's things that I love about the defense, there's things that, you know, I'm not too big of a fan of, but I’ve just got to adjust to it and try to play up to the best of my abilities so I can still put my little twist in there. So I can still help this defense be successful. So far so good, but like I always say, I think we’ve got a whole bunch of room for improvement. We’ve just got to keep learning, keep getting coached up, and keep getting better."

(On how it feels for the offense and defense to be able to get more physical)
"Well the offensive and defensive line, we're always hitting full speed. It’s been good. You're competing out there, we’re getting each other better, guys (are) flying around. Yeah, a little trash talking here and there, but you know, it’s a part of the sport, that's what makes it fun. I think guys are doing what they need to do – enjoying the game, flying around, playing fast and making plays."

(On if anyone has emerged as an elite trash talker during training camp)
"No, not yet. I don't know yet, but I put my money on (CB Jalen) Ramsey. He's a dog and he'll let you know about it."

(On what he’s noticed from the offensive line so far in pads and the groups overall progression since last season)
"Getting better. They got veteran guys like ‘Whit’ (OL Andrew Whitworth), and guys like (OL) Rob (Havenstein) that can help them guys and coach them up. And then they’ve got a great offensive line coach that's teaching them great technique. You can see that they’re working, they’re giving us different looks as an offensive line, as far as how they’re blocking us as a defensive line. So, they’re making it tough for us, but you know, that's a part of camp. You push each other, get each other better and you go from there."

(On Ramsey's big hit on RB Cam Akers and if the defense overall is ramping it up in practice)
"Yeah, the funny thing is Ramsey and him, they’ve been going back and forth talking about, ‘I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that,’ and he tried to lower his shoulder on him yesterday I (saw) it. He came back to do it again, and Ramsey put him down. Again, that's good competition. That's the type of stuff you love. We still protecting each other, but at the end of the day, it's football and the main goal was to play at a high level and get the guys around you better. So, doing stuff like that, competing, it's going to be physical. It's going to be punches at times, but that's a part of camp, you know. It’s just what it is."

(On his impression of OLBs Leonard Floyd and Terrell Lewis)
"I think (those) guys have been doing good. They’re doing great, definitely in the backend making some big plays, making a lot of big plays on the ball, interceptions. So, just showing up. They’ve got to continue to get (themselves) better and go from there."

(On if he occasionally misses calls as a veteran player)
"Not often, but here and there you might miss a call, definitely when it's a new thing and you just missed the communication part from a linebacker. That's just me, need to not lock in as much and understanding certain defenses, I’ve got to listen to the calls around me so I can just adjust to it as well. So, it’s just how it works sometimes, but you know, a mistake, you can't allow that to affect you, or get you down. You’ve just got to find a way to correct it and try to make a play to make it up."

(On if finding the defense’s identity is something that's done during training camp or throughout the season)
"I think, you do it through camp and through the season. You’ve got to continue to grow, continue to show what you are about week in and week out. It's not a week thing, so you’ve got to be consistent about it. You can be dominant one week and not show up the next week. For us to be that type of defense we want to be, we’ve got to do it consistently. So I would say, it’s best started through the training process, now with the camp phase and then we’ve got to linger to the season and continue to grow and continue to get better week in and week out."

(On what he has noticed from S Terrell Burgess)
"He’s been playing good. I think all the young guys in the backend have been making big plays. They’re learning a lot from the older guys and they’re showing up. That's what it’s about. You can hear about this guy, but when they’re actually putting it on film and then you see them making big plays, they’re going to get known from that."

(On what the defense misses from former Rams LB Cory Littleton and his thoughts on the guys trying to replace him)
"Again, he was a playmaker. He was a huge piece to the puzzle. Definitely going to be missing him just from his athletic ability he was able to do with his speed. But I think the guys that's there now, they’re still learning, still getting better, but I think they’ve been doing some good things. But at the same time there's room for improvement. Not just from them, from all of us, and from me included. I think so far so good, though."



Rams OL Andrew Whitworth
(On how it feels starting his 15th year in the NFL)
“You know what, I'm just excited. It's exciting to be out here. It's exciting to get a chance to compete. Obviously, a crazy year and all of us, I think, are just amped up to have this opportunity to try and get football off. I think it just makes you appreciate it so much more. So, it's been fun so far.”

(On how OL Joe Noteboom is doing)
“He's doing a great job. I think we've continued to grow there and grow up front. We had a group last year that, in a good way, a ton of people got to play, in a bad way, unfortunately, we were really young and maybe not as efficient as we wanted to be, but got better and better as the year went. So, I think we're excited. We're excited for the challenge. We take that challenge, that we’ve got to set the tone for this offense. We’ve got a lot of young guys, who have bright futures, and we’ve just got to keep taking good steps.”

(On how he is personally adjusting to all the changes for this training camp)
“I think it's been tremendous. In my opinion, I've argued for a long time, that really camp should start more similar to how it started this year. I mean, maybe that means camp has to start a little sooner, whatever it is. But to me, that acclimation period of actually getting guys here, acclimating them to lifting and really 'above the neck' type things, to where you're understanding what you're doing and taking care of guys, getting them in shape, running them a little bit, rather than just jumping right on the football field and practicing. I think it's a much safer way to get guys in good shape and being healthy and eliminating a lot of soft tissue type stuff that happens with 'hammies' (hamstrings) and calves. You really get an opportunity for guys to be feeling really good when they step on the field for the live action. And so, I think to me, this is one of the greatest ways you could start it and something that's really, hopefully, the league and the 'PA' (NFL Players Association) and everyone takes notice that this is maybe some way that we want to work this into the future as well.”

(On being at his own practice facility for training camp)
“I mean everything other than I'm missing that cool breeze that we'd get sometimes down at Irvine, I'll tell you that much. You know, yeah, it’s great to be at your facility, but sometimes in those afternoon practices we'd get a nice little breeze there off the ocean. So, I was thankful for that. Out here we’ve got a little heat going on. It's fun. It's a challenge and it adds something else to the day.”

(On if he’s reached out to any older players to get tips on how to continue to be productive as he gets older)
"You know, I say this as humbly and respectfully as I can, I think I've outlasted most of them (laughs). I think they all stopped in their mid to early 30's. So yeah, you know what, throughout my career, honestly one of the reasons I'm able to play at the age I am now, not really now asking, but when I was a young tackle in the NFL, it was really when (Jonathan) Ogden, Willy Anderson, even Orlando Pace, all those guys, their career was really starting to wind down. So when I got into the NFL, one of the reasons I stay so lean and try to do such a good job of staying on top of my shape is that one of the things I observed watching those guys, listening to them, and how they trained and did things is that I always kind of thought they could have done a little better job of taking their weight down and taking care of themselves when they got a little older to make themselves last. And I thought that was something, when I got to that point, I was going to be on top of it. So, I started really, right when I turned 30, I kind of a started a deal that I did ever year, that I kind of wanted to make sure I reported to camp every single season a little lighter. And so that always kind of just told me I was managing my weight, keeping it in a healthy spot, and keeping in really good shape. And so, not letting myself get out of control in the offseason. So that's something that, not necessarily asking them now, but I learned from watching them then."

(On what his weight is now)
"Right now, I’m probably 315, 316 (pounds), something like that. You know, I played early at my career probably at 45 (345 pounds) or 50 (350 pounds). And really, I would say, when I started doing this, I was around 342. And just have every year, kind of taken it a notch or two down. And this year I actually reported a little heavier than normal, but that's really just because, like everyone else, I had nothing to do all offseason but train, so I had put a lot of work in the weight room."

(On how he loses weight)
"Really more lean body mass stuff. So, just trying to somewhat eat as good as I can and try to be mindful of my diet. Obviously, in the offseason you're going to live a little bit better than you normally do in the in season because you're in such a good regimen, in season. But in the offseason, it's really staying active. I mean, I'm a huge golfer, you guys know that. I try to train in the mornings and then I golf all afternoon. Then at night, it's usually a pickup game with the boys, with my kids. And you know, just trying to stay active, stay outside sweating throughout the whole day. My ideal day is I usually fall asleep because I just don't have anything else left in the tank to do. So, that's how I like to do it. I like to be outside all day. I don't watch much TV or really ever sit down on the couch. I get a little too busy for that."

(On if he used a bear hug as a peace keeping technique after things got intense at practice)
"Yeah, just trying to break things up. You know when guys get in a tussle there, it's a lot of big humans that are mad. And so, you’ve got to make sure you get in there and break it up before anything happens to get guys hurt or rolled up on or any of that. So yeah, you know, I ran in there and just tried to do my best to keep things at peace. I think most of the time those guys, they get mad at each other and they realize about three minutes later, that's why you don't fight at practice because you're exhausted for the rest of the day. So, you usually regret it. So the sooner you can break it up and get them to relax and get them to realize that's probably the last thing you want to do right now, you know what, it's for the better."

(On seeing a lot of physicality over the course of his career and where the line is between it having a positive or negative effect)
"I think, you've got to be competing. You've got to compete, you've got to hit, you've got to, not really fight in a physical sense, but you’ve got to have some determination and some go-to and guys have got to be relentless about getting out there and competing with one another. You don't really want to see them get to the point of fighting because the reality is in the NFL, as I well know, having been ejected twice, you don't get to stay in the game if you fight. It's one of those things that you want that competition, a little bit of a tussle or a push, just because you know guys are competing and it means something to them to win a rep, but you want to stop from there and guys have self-control to realize maybe you’ve lost your temper, that's going to happen in a game as well, and you've got to be able to control yourself to do what's best for the football team."

(On CB Jalen Ramsey's hit on RB Cam Akers)
"I think that it's one of those things that you're going to see some of that in practice because obviously on the edges with those guys, when you get out in space, it's hard to know when your thudding or when you're not tackling. You know, 'Who's going to thud who?' and sometimes it's like, 'Hey, I kind of thought I was going to pull up on you and then the guy lowers his hat on him,' and later in the practice there's another instance where a running back, because of that play, lowered his helmet on a DB that thought he wasn't going to do it. So, it's one of those things where it's tough for those guys on the edges. It's a split-second decision. You've got to know the guys you're practicing against and the competitors they are and a guy like Jalen (Ramsey) is such a competitor that it's not a shock to see him want to hit and want to get involved. That's what separates him, in my opinion, in a lot of top corners in this league. His physicalness and the attitude he plays with, you don't see a lot of just man-to-man corners that are also guys who love to hit like he does."

(On how he grew into a leader and when he in his career did he feel comfortable assuming that role)
"I had the opportunity as a young player. I got drafted in Cincinnati and they had Levi Jones and Willie Anderson. Levi had just made a Pro-Bowl and Willie Anderson was a multi Pro Bowler and All-Pro. Both those guys were so hands-on with me from the beginning and teaching me the game and so I kind of learned from them. As soon as those guys left after a couple of years of me being there, just as we brought in young linemen year after year. You know what, as an O-line group, you're only as good as the group and the tight ends as well, all the guys that are blocking. So, whatever you can pour into those guys or just give them another thought of the way that they're trying to get something done, to me that's something I've always done. So here, usually when practice ends, I just kind of walk around and see guys that are working on something and try and pop in and just say 'Hey, is there something I can help you with?', or 'What are you looking to do?', and if you can give them an intention or just to a purpose to what they are working on and what they're trying to get done, I think those little things for them can, one - be a boost of confidence for them for a veteran like myself to come talk to him and give him a little love. Then two - I mean, if there's anything that I can just give them. Maybe it's a little thing that I'm not even thinking would be that helpful but to say it and clear it up for them, you just never know. So, to me it's like, always just show up, always just come to be the best version of yourself and try to help guys reach that for themselves and let's see what happens from there."

(On how he would access the team coming together as a group)
"You know what, it's been great. It's been tremendous to see guys compete. I think one thing this team's doing right now is competing and that's all we can ask. There's a lot of energy, there's a lot of guys running around, there's a lot of competition, one-on-one's, everything else. That's all you can do right now, is show that will to compete, show the will to execute and I think that both sides of the ball have had moments of that in practice and we've just got to continue it. We've got to continue to press it. We need our leaders to lead. Come with passion and energy, every single day and you know what, we'll be just fine."

(On OL Rob Havenstein and the importance of him having a good bounce back season)
"Well, I think for him, man, you're just so happy for him. He's worked his butt off this offseason. I mean, the guy's worked so hard. Him and I trained together all offseason and at my house and so we've been together a lot. I've seen the worked he's put in and you couldn't be happier for a guy to put in the kind of work that he's done. He was working here, he was working in my house, he's doing extra all the time. It meant something to him to come back healthy and over the injury and you know what, I couldn't be happier to see him having some success and seeing some good things going and feeling good about his knee. Just continuing to see him try to find those steps every day to get better and better."

(On if he is surprised players aren’t wearing the COVID face shields)
"Well, I kind of get the idea of it. I don't really see how it would be beneficial. If you have ever been close to O-linemen when we’re sweating on a football field and exerting energy (laughs). If it's got a hole, it's going through there I can assure you because we're exerting so much sweat and snot and spit and everything else. It's a good idea, it sounded cool. But to me, I don't think that some of the risks outweighs – as far as the Coronavirus stuff – but also the physical risk because you start really looking at, if you slow down tape and watch collisions and how much that helmet moves and those face masks move and the impacts, having something plastic against your face, especially kind of the material and all that, I would just worry about a cut, just scratches if it gets stuck in your face or your jaw somehow at the bottom of a pile. I just think guys weren't really comfortable with, 'Hey, that's just something that, you know what, it looks neat,’ and maybe some guys will wear it. But I think overall, all the stuff you've got on, the impacts you're going through, wearing something like that, I just don't see a lot of guys being comfortable with that in the field of play."
--RAMS--