Sean McVay put on the headset during the Los Angeles Rams‘ preseason debut against the Dallas Cowboys, but it was a different kind that wound up bringing out a rare side of him.
And through this other headset he wore, the Super Bowl-winning head coach may have signaled a bright future if he pursues broadcasting down the road.
Sean McVay Cracks Jokes on Sidelines During Preseason Opener
McVay swapped out the play caller headset for one that connected him with the broadcast crew of Andrew Siciliano, Andrew Whitworth, and Mina Kimes during the Rams’ home game at SoFi Stadium.
As the Cowboys lined up for a field goal, McVay watched the ball make its attempt to stay within the uprights. From the head coach’s view, he was overheard saying, “I think he missed that.”
Siciliano fact-checked McVay by telling him that Brandon Aubrey’s attempt went through from 36 yards. Later, McVay shared his funny excuse on why he believed the FG wasn’t going to split the uprights.
“You got a better angle than me, jerk,” McVay humorously said to Siciliano.
The former NFL Network personality, who still handles play-by-play announcer duties for Rams preseason games, jokingly responded with a “We love you too” response to McVay.
"I think he missed that."
"He got it."
"You got a better angle than me, jerk." 😂 pic.twitter.com/AUHdCZSipW— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2024
McVay then removed that broadcaster headset for the one he’s more known to use during the games. But then he placed it back on — this time to evaluate one of his players live.
With the enthusiasm of a color commentator, McVay raved about his defensive lineman Tyler Davis blowing up this running play.
Sean McVay is loving what he sees from rookie DL Tyler Davis so far!@SoFi Coach Cam. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/KaZIplgWrf
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 11, 2024
He even took the timeout from speaking with the Rams’ broadcast crew to jokingly talk to the referees regarding one penalty, prompting a “what are you calling?” question from McVay.
Sean McVay is a funny guy #DALvsLAR pic.twitter.com/Z28atyDesJ
— Lord Dylly 🏈 (@Lord_Dylly) August 11, 2024
Finally, McVay during his broadcast appearance joked about challenging a play. However, he was reminded live that the coach never carries a challenge flag in the month of August — leading to a “you got me” response from him.
Sean McVay got caught by the broadcast!
McVay made a joke about challenging the play and the announcer said that he heard the coach doesn’t bring a challenge flag to preseason games, and then asked to see it.
Sean McVay said “you got me”… 😱 pic.twitter.com/6pJFAqkuft
— Fantasy Points (@FantasyPts) August 11, 2024
Overall, he showed his stoic and humorous side during the game, which left many still believing the head coach has a bright future in a profession he’s expressed interest in before, broadcasting.
Has McVay Been Courted by Networks Before?
Back in 2022, the rumblings began that McVay was facing a coaching burnout.
His Rams team went from Super Bowl-winning euphoria in 2021 to plummeting to 5-12 the next season. The injuries piled up with McVay’s star quarterback and wide receiver, Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, respectively, losing out the rest of the season with their ailments.
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But as the Rams’ season faltered down the stretch, rumors surfaced that McVay was considering a career change by turning to the broadcast booth. Those same rumblings even sprouted after L.A. snatched the Vince Lombardi Trophy from the Cincinnati Bengals at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
The New York Post reported on Feb. 13, 2022, that ESPN considered pursuing McVay should he walk away from head coaching. Amazon Prime was another possibility, which had just hired away McVay’s former offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth for “Thursday Night Football.”
McVay, though, helped shoot down those rumors via his wife, who posted on social media that her husband was not retiring. Yet, the thoughts of a broadcast career re-emerged after the Rams’ dismal ’22 campaign.
But right away after the season concluded, McVay told reporters on Jan. 6, 2023, that he was committed to returning to the Rams; L.A. went on to produce a surprising playoff run by going 10-7, including erasing a 3-6 start to make the postseason.
Expectations are higher once again in the City of Angels with the Rams now thinking about taking back the NFC West and delivering another playoff run. But as McVay showed during the preseason opener, you can have fun on the job and share your humor on camera.