An NFL analyst has taken a huge shot at the idea that Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is a quarterback whisperer.
One of the main reasons everyone believes in the Los Angeles Rams drafting Ty Simpson has to do with the fact that head coach Sean McVay has been known to be a "quarterback whisperer." Though that designation was never coopted by McVay himself, it has stuck with him for years.
Now, it appears the basis of that narrative is being highly questioned. Analyst Bomani Jones not only pointed to the idea that McVay being a quarterback whisperer is baseless, but it should not be mentioned when trying to make sense of the Ty Simpson pick.
While on the Dominique Hawthorne show, Jones went in on McVay's so-called "quarterback whisperer" narrative. When he questioned Hawthorne on where the basis came from, the ESPN host indicated it was due to how he helped Jared Goff elevate his game.
"What is the basis of the reputation of Sean McVay as quarterback whisperer?" Jones questioned.
"I think it's getting to LA and taking Jared Goff who seemed like an all-time bust, and making them into a Super Bowl contender," Hawthorne said. The host also pointed to McVay seemingly helping Baker Mayfield also be better.
Jones did not appear to buy into this idea, also using Kirk Cousins and Goff as examples that the so-called "whispering" is clearly not enough, as the latter quarterback is not good enough to help a team win a Super Bowl.
"But I would just say that we're really operating on to me it's two data points. And I think that the first data point is Kurt Cousins and the second data point is Jared Goff. Two quarterbacks none of us think are good enough for you to win a Super Bowl with. Right. There are limits to what this whispering is going to do. So the idea that you are taking a talent the level of Tai Simpson, there is no evidence that Shawn McVey is going to whisper him up to being a Super Bowl winner," Jones said.
Initially, Jones is saying that regardless of how McVay is viewed as a quarterback whisperer, his skills of working with the position has not translated to a Super Bowl win. It wasn't until Matthew Stafford arrived that the Rams were able to win the big game, but clearly that had more to do with the skills that Stafford posseses.
"So, I'm just saying what this ceiling is for Tai Simpson. Nothing of the McVey um track record indicates that the ceiling is going to be higher than a pretty good quarterback. Hold on right fast. I would like to note that Jared Goff looked just about the damn same playing for Dan Campbell as he did for Sean McVay," Jones said.
There have been plenty of questions regarding the Simpson pick, and it appears that the conversation about drafting the Alabama product in the first round and at No. 13 overall will continue to draw plenty of criticism. The issue is nobody will find out how good he is for at least another season.
McVay himself indicated that this is "Stafford's team for as long as he wants it," and the belief is that the reigning MVP will play past the 2026 season. If that is the case, it will mean that Simpson will sit behind Stafford for at least two more seasons, if not three.
Considering the type of competitor Stafford is, it would not be the least bit shocking if he were to play well into his 40s, as the core of the Rams roster remains very strong. As long as they have these kinds of playmakers on both sides of the ball, they will remain a playoff contender.
So, whether or not anyone believes that McVay is a quarterback whisperer, it may take some significant time for that to be proven true regarding how Simpson plays when it is his time to take over the offense.