The Rams, with team owner Stan Kroenke in the “war room” on the upstairs level and former left tackle
Andrew Whitworth in the building, held their collective breaths as the picks ahead of them were filed. they got “a couple of calls” from teams who hoped to trade back in to the third round; Snead indicated that if Bruss was still on the board, they weren’t budging.
As soon as they went on the clock, and knew Bruss would be available, loud cheers poured out of the upstairs rooms. Then, Snead let it slip to McVay what Hill had promised — and then McVay’s voice was loudest of all.
“He was a little hesitant so I tipped our head coach off,” Snead said. “At that point, Brian couldn’t say no.”
Down came the scouts and executives and assistant coaches, who all poured outside and pulled out their phones as Hill, grinning, pulled off his shoes. In the deep end he went.
“I’m glad I could make that happen,” said Bruss via video call a few minutes later from his home in Kimberly, Wis. “This was kinda the place I was dreaming of coming to play. For this to happen is a dream come true.”