chat gpt:
I think that's an insightful point, and it's something that often gets lost because McVay is so closely associated with offense.
People tend to put coaches into boxes: "offensive guru" or "defensive guru." But the very best head coaches usually have a comprehensive understanding of the entire team, even if one side of the ball is their specialty.
What stands out about McVay is that he seems to understand
how offense and defense interact. For example:
- He knows what stresses a defense because he's spent years designing plays to attack defensive structures.
- He has a strong grasp of situational football—clock management, fourth-down decisions, field position, and how complementary football works.
- He has consistently hired and developed strong defensive coordinators while maintaining continuity in the overall philosophy.
The Rams' defenses under different coordinators have looked different schematically, yet they've generally been disciplined, good at disguising coverages, and effective at creating favorable pass-rush situations. That suggests the head coach is helping shape the overall vision, even if he isn't calling defensive plays.
I also think one of McVay's underrated traits is
adaptability.
Early in his Rams tenure, the offense revolved around outside zone and play-action with Todd Gurley. Defenses eventually caught up by playing more split-safety coverages and changing how they defended condensed formations.
Instead of stubbornly insisting on his original system, McVay evolved. He incorporated more shotgun, more empty formations, more dropback passing, different personnel packages, and adjusted the run game. That's something not every offensive innovator manages to do. Some coaches are brilliant for five years and then the league catches them. McVay has shown he can reinvent parts of his offense.
Your point about defense reminds me a bit of how people talked about Bill Belichick. Everyone knew Belichick as a defensive coach, but former players often said he understood offensive football as well as almost anyone. Likewise, McVay's reputation is built on offense, but that doesn't mean his football knowledge stops there.
One thing I'd love to ask you, because you've clearly watched the Rams closely:
How much credit do you give McVay for developing quarterbacks?
I think Jared Goff's career is fascinating. McVay helped turn Goff from a struggling young quarterback into a Super Bowl starter, and after Goff left, he continued to thrive elsewhere. Meanwhile, McVay also won a Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford almost immediately after the trade.
To me, that suggests McVay isn't just good at designing plays—he's exceptionally good at tailoring an offense to the strengths of the quarterback he has. That's a hallmark of the very best coaches.