Sean McVay’s love for Baker Mayfield traces back to 2018, claims Rams doctor
The Los Angeles Rams lost Matthew Stafford earlier this year, but in a move consistent with general manager Les Snead's repetoire, they claimed Baker Mayfield off the waiver wire. To some, the move was surprising. However, the more surprising news is that Sean McVay allegedly had an affinity for Baker Mayfield going back to 2018.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Rams head coach clearly noticed Baker Mayfield on a SouthWest flight around the time of the NFL Combine. Rams doctor Neal ElAttratche kept an eye on the two for the duration of the flight.
Here's how he put what he remembered:
“As [Mayfield] passes our row, he notices, despite all of our efforts to camouflage it that no one was sitting in the middle seat. He said, `Hey, you mind if I sit there?’ I don’t even know if he looked and saw that it was McVay. But when Sean saw who it was, he said, 'Absolutely!’"
In 2018, Sean McVay and Baker Mayfield wound up seated next to each other on Southwest flight from L.A. to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine.
How a chat between “two football nerds" led to a comeback win over the @Raiders four years later: latimes.com/sports/rams/st… https://t.co/9y2IzmqMbm
He continued, explaining just how much they enjoyed each other's company:
“Those two football nerds, by the time the wheels left the tarmac, they had pencil and paper out, both of them. Sean’s asking Baker, `So in your scheme, what would you guys call in this situation?’ Baker was picking his brain too. The entire way to Indianapolis, they were laughing and drawing up offensive schemes like two kids playing Madden.”
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What did Baker Mayfield and Sean McVay end up doing in 2018?
Baker Mayfield went on to be drafted first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. In his first season with the team, he went 6-7 in 13 starts, throwing for 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
2018 QB Draft Class:
1. Baker Mayfield: 104 TOT TD
3. Sam Darnold: 64 TOT TD
7. Josh Allen: 158 TOT TD
10. Josh Rosen: 12 TOT TD
32. Lamar Jackson: 123 TOT TD
This class was SPECIAL 🔥 https://t.co/NnIcI7p6kM
Meanwhile, Sean McVay returned to Los Angeles to coach the Rams to a dominant season. Throughout the offseason, the team picked up a number of high-profile player acquisitions. When the 2018 season started, many had picked them to reach the Super Bowl.
The Rams fulfilled those expectations, going 13-3 and breaking through the NFC playoff bracket all the way until they ran into Tom Brady. Heading into the season, McVay was only coaching his second season for the franchise and many things were far from set in stone.
This leaves fans to question if the team would have taken the quarterback if he had fallen to them, especially considering how quickly they moved on from Jared Goff.
If any of the above quotes are used, please credit the Los Angeles Times and H/T Sportskeeda.