Getty Nick Scott of the Los Angeles Rams dives for the tackle attempt during their January 2021 playoff win at Seattle.
It was a simple game with his father and brothers, one that saw dad spin the football into the air in the family backyard and yell out “How much do you want it?” to his sons, before one of the four siblings came down with the football.
Sounds like a fun and competitive game that Los Angeles Rams safety Nick Scott played in his childhood years on the east coast. But it eventually turned Scott into someone who wants the football, even in a crowded space.
And that backyard game became the emphasis for Scott’s “Behind the Grind” feature released by the Rams on Sunday night, fittingly themed “How much do you want it?”
Scott’s Love for Football Began Out Back
Scott, who is entering year No. 3 with the Rams, said his affinity for the pigskin began through his father and battling with his siblings for the ball outside.
“My love for football started in the backyard,” Scott said in the video. “My dad used to play a game with us. He called it “How much do you want it?” My three brothers and I would stand about 30-40 yards away and he would just throw the ball up in the air as high as he could and while it was in the air, he would yell “How much do want it?” and we had to try to catch it.”
The fight for the ball works perfectly for future defensive backs. Yet, Scott’s NFL journey didn’t involve defense first. But did include a gutsy decision while at Penn State.
Playing Behind a Future Second Round Pick
Scott originally went to State College, Pennsylvania as a running back.
In 2015, Scott carried the football 30 times for 133 yards and averaged 4.4 yards a carry. But, he began to get lost in the backfield shuffle because of the arrival of two prized recruits as he described it.
“We had two five-stars who were doing pretty well for themselves,” Scott said, who then unveiled who they were. “Coming out was Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders.”
Barkley became the most revered, decorating his college resume with 5,038 total yards from scrimmage and 51 touchdowns in a three-year career that eventually turned him into the No. 2 overall selection in the 2018 draft. His breakout emergence convinced Scott to give safety a try.
“I was not so much in the mix anymore and I decided to make a business decision and switch over to safety,” Scott said.
The decision placed Scott on special teams, the place that Scott says was “where I found most of my production.” Along with tackles, he blocked a field goal during a November 2018 game at Michigan.
Eventually, his safety and special teams work landed him with the Rams.
‘How Much do you Want It?’
Scott had his epiphany the moment Sanders and Barkley got into the backfield.
“When I moved to safety, I realized I was a defensive player all along,” Scott said.
And it circled back to those days of hearing “How much do you want it?” from his pops.
“I’m a big believer in never settle for it. Kind of reflects back to the story of ‘How much do you want it?'” Scott said.
The backyard game with his brothers and dad eventually created a future Rams safety. Scott has since developed his love for the position, but understands he’s in a competition with others for playing time.
“Safety is something that I’ve grown to love and you can want something really, really bad. But you have to not only think about how hard you have to work and how much it’s going to take to get that ball, but also there’s going to be people right next to you who want it just as bad and may want it a little bit more,” Scott said.
Which got Scott to end the video segment with these six words he heard in his backyard and reiterated in front of the camera:
“How much do you want it?”