The Los Angeles Rams head coach-quarterback duo was ranked near the top of the rankings ahead of the 2026 season.
The Los Angeles Rams head coach-quarterback duo was ranked near the top of the rankings ahead of the 2026 season.
Sports Illustrated did their annual rankings of the NFL’s coach-quarterback duo, and the Rams missed out on the top spot, ranked as No. 2 in that category.
"Last summer, the talk was about whether Stafford would be able to play due to a disc problem in his back. He then went out and had the best statistical season of his career, winning MVP honors with 4,707 passing yards and 46 scores. Although he’s 38 years old, nobody is playing at a higher level both mentally and physically than Stafford.
"In McVay, the Rams have the ultimate chess master. After almost exclusively playing 11-personnel for much of his career, he had Los Angeles lined up with three-tight-end sets on more than 30% of offensive snaps, more than double any other team. His versatility and the ability to match talent to scheme while disguising intent are unparalleled."
The head coach-quarterback duo ahead of Stafford and McVay are Kanas City Chiefs duo of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
Although Stafford is the oldest quarterback in the league, he is coming off arguably the best season of his career. The 38-year-old won his first MVP of his career and earned a spot on the All-Pro first team. He also led the league in pasisbg yard and touchdowns.
As for McVay, he has established himself as one of the top coaches in the league and certainly the best coach in Rams history. The 40-year-old head coach became the winningest head coach in Rams history, building an impressive overall regular season record and securing multiple double-digit win seasons.
Outside of the success on the field, McVay revolutionized the NFL hiring trends. After the Rams took a chance on McVay when he was 31 – a move that paid off tremendously — it helped spark a league-wide trend of teams leaning toward younger candidates during head coaching searches.
Apart, the two have been great, but together, they have proved to be a juggernaut of a duo. Their partnership has been characterized by McVay’s innovative play-calling and Stafford’s elite execution.
Stafford will enter his 18th season in the league and his sixth in Los Angeles. As for McVay, he will enter his 10th season at the helm for the Rams.
While the two won a title in their first year together, they have yet to get back to the big game. Heading into the season, the Rams hold the best odds to win it all once again and recreate the magic of their 2021 title run — fittingly with the Super Bowl set to be played in their own backyard at SoFi Stadium in February 2027.
