Getty Sean McVay after winning Super Bowl 56 on February 14, 2022.
The Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Broncos have done some notable exchanging in the past year.
In order: The Rams traded away inside linebacker Kenny Young to Denver during the regular season (after the Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Then the Rams made a deal to land Von Miller, propelling them to the Super Bowl title. Following that, the Rams would end up losing Marcus Dixon and Ejiro Evero at the Broncos’ defensive line and defensive coordinator spots, respectively.
On Wednesday, April 6, the Rams officially completed one more addition via the Rocky Mountains: Adding Chris Beake to the coaching staff.
Mike Klis of 9News in Denver first reported the move on February 19. As of Wednesday, the deal got finalized by the Super Bowl winners.
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Who is Chris Beake?
Again, Beake becomes the latest past Broncos representation to join the Rams. Beake's hire, though, officially ended a near decade long run with Denver. Here were the roles Beake held in chronological order:
2013 season: Defensive quality control coach when Denver won the AFC title.
2014 to 2016: Defensive assistant coach, was on the 2015 staff that won Super Bowl 50.
2017 season: Performed double duty as defensive assistant coach and defensive line coach.
2018 season: Served as assistant defensive line coach.
2019 to 2020: Returned to defensive assistant coach post.
2021 campaign: Promoted to defensive pass game specialist.
Now, he’s joining Sean McVay’s coaching staff. Here’s what the Rams’ website wrote:
“Beake takes on his new role in Los Angeles after nine seasons with the Denver Broncos. Promoted to defensive pass game specialist in 2021, Beake helped guide a Denver defense that allowed the eighth-fewest passing yards per game during the regular season (214.8). The Broncos also allowed the fifth-fewest passing touchdowns in the NFL last year (22).”
Beake spent some extensive time coaching up Miller before the two parties went a different direction before the 2021 NFL trade deadline. Miller established himself as a perennial Pro Bowler, but the Rams noted that Beake produced other Pro Bowl caliber talent in Denver.
“The Broncos defense saw eight players named to a combined 20 Pro Bowl selections — including Von Miller being named to his seventh Pro Bowl in 2018 and Bradley Chubb setting a franchise rookie sack record while working with the outside linebackers,” the press release read.
Beake additionally briefly had to step in for former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell during a brief battle with COVID-19 during the 2020 season.
Not the First Time Beake Will Witness the NFC West
Beake will be heading into what’s become one of the more competitive and rugged divisions in the league: The NFC West.
Last season, the division produced three of four playoff teams. And the NFC title game was an NFC West showdown between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
But this won’t be the first time Beake will get used to the ultra-competitive division in looking at his resume.
In 2010, he served on the opposite side of the football with the San Francisco 49ers as offensive assistant coach — during a time the team had a young Frank Gore in the backfield and had Alex Smith at quarterback.
Turns out the 49ers were his first NFL employer. He also had a previous, lengthier Bay Area stay from 1998 to 2003 — beginning first as pro personnel assistant then shifting over to defensive assistant/quality control coach until the ’03 season, when he flipped over to the offense.
Beake also spent 2008 and 2009 with the Seattle Seahawks while working with Mike Holmgren and Jim Mora.