Some people just have that dawg in them. The kind of energy that makes you wanna run through a brick wall. And apparently, Sean McVay is him. Don’t take my word for it, though—just ask Travis Kelce. The Chiefs’ star tight end recently spilled the tea on how McVay got him absolutely hyped about football before he even hit the league.
So, rewind to Kelce’s pre-draft days. He pulled up to Washington for a top 30 visit, where McVay was the tight ends coach. From the second they started talking, McVay was straight-up wired. “I just remember him talking so f—— fast,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast. “He was just rambling, ripping through stuff, and I’m sitting there like, Dude, I don’t know how, but you got me this jacked up about playing football right now.” Like, who does that?! Kelce said McVay was the only coach who made him feel that way.
And honestly, it checks out. McVay has been about this football life forever. He grew up around the game—his grandpa, John McVay, was a big part of the 49ers’ dynasty, so McVay was literally raised on Xs and Os. Football isn’t just his job—it’s his entire personality.
McVay wasn’t just some random dude with a whistle, either. He hooped in high school (okay, not actually, but you get it). Sean McVay led his Georgia squad to a state title in 2003, then went on to play wide receiver at Miami University in Ohio, racking up 39 catches for 312 yards. He wasn’t NFL-bound as a player, but his football IQ was off the charts. That brain got him a gig as an assistant coach with the Bucs in 2008, and from there, he went full speed—tight ends coach, offensive coordinator, and then, boom—Rams head coach by 2017.
Kelce’s story just proves McVay is built different. The guy is basically a human energy drink, and his love for the game is contagious. If he could get a rookie Chiefs TE that pumped off one meeting, imagine what he’s like in a locker room every day. No wonder the Rams locked him down—dude’s a walking football encyclopedia with main character energy.
From beers with Kid Rock to wine & playbooks, Stafford is locked in with McVay
When Matthew Stafford pulled up to LA, he wasn’t just switching teams—he was stepping into one of the most fire offenses in the league. And while some QBs might struggle to adjust, Stafford? Nah, he ate that transition up. Sean McVay had been itching to take his dropback passing game to the next level, and Stafford basically said, ‘Bet.’ Now, even after trade rumors and retirement news are down, he is “excited to be back” with the Rams. Stafford made one thing very clear: he’s not leaving McVay’s offense anytime soon.
“Yeah, 100%,” Matthew Stafford said on the New Heights podcast when asked if the offense changed just as much for him as he had to adjust to it. “That’s a very good way of describing what transpired and what happened, for sure.” And McVay? Dude wasted no time getting Stafford locked in. Instead of just kicking back with some wine, McVay turned their first road trip together into a full-blown strategy sesh. “About 30 minutes into our ride, my guy pulls out a piece of paper. And he’s like, ‘All right, so here’s the dropback package.’ I haven’t even had any red wine yet, and we’re already into this. Love it.” Stafford knew right then—this wasn’t just a coach; this was a mad scientist.
For Stafford, this was exactly what he needed. Back in Detroit, his offense was just, “Go throw the ball and hope for the best.” No real run game and barely any play-action—just Stafford in the pocket and launching missiles. So when McVay hit him with, “Dropback passing is something we’ve always wanted to elevate as part of this core system,” Stafford instantly knew he was in the right place. “I was like, ‘Well, that’s kind of all I did in Detroit,’” he laughed. The system fit so well that even when rumors popped up about the Rams possibly moving off him, Stafford didn’t even blink.
Despite teams reportedly showing interest in trading for him, Matthew Stafford shut all that down—he was staying in LA. He just doesn’t entertain those, Stafford said when asked about offseason trade talks. “I want to be here.” Matthew Stafford continued to say, “I love playing for this team, for McVay. I love the challenge.” For a guy who spent years hard-carrying in Detroit, being in a system that actually plays to his strengths? Yeah, he wasn’t about to walk away from that.
At this point, it’s clear—Stafford is ride or die for McVay’s offense. The dude is constantly scheming, pushing his QB to be sharper, better, and always a step ahead. And for Stafford, this setup is a dream. “It was a great marriage, and it’s worked out well,” he said. And honestly? As long as McVay is on the headset, Stafford isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
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