Earlier in Sean McVay’s career with the Los Angeles Rams, you could levy a fair complaint that he was often slow to adjust—whether in-season or in-game.
But since a catastrophic Super Bowl defeat at the hands of Bill Belichick in 2018, McVay has continued to find ways to reinvent himself as well as his offensive scheme.
Nate Tice joined Steve Palazzolo on the “Check the Mic” podcast recently to discuss the trends that will define the 2026 NFL season. McVay, rightfully so, came up often in the conversation.
We know teams across the league attempt to emulate both McVay and the Rams. The newest idea others will borrow is McVay’s recent experiments with heavier personnel packages and increased utilization of tight ends, as evidenced by teams selecting run-blocking TE’s much earlier in the draft than normal.
But the Rams mostly stay ahead of the curve now. They don’t need to worry about copycats because by the time the rest of the NFL catches up they remain one step ahead. If that holds true again in 2026, LA will have a realistic shot at making good on their Super Bowl expectations.