Special teams was a big factor in why the Los Angeles Rams didn’t get the number one seed in the 2025 playoffs.
Multiple blocked field goals, punts and touchdown returns plagued the Rams in the season, leading the team to play in the wildcard instead.
In a competitive NFC West, Los Angeles had no room for error if they wanted a fighting opportunity to get the bye in the playoffs or at least win the division.
The Rams parted ways with former special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn and have Ben Kotwica as the interim. But even with the change, the issues at ST continued.
Los Angeles hired Bubba Ventrone to become the new special teams coordinator, with head coach Sean McVay having high praise for the new member of his coaching staff.
Rams Head Coach On Special Teams Hire
GettyThe Rams made a coaching staff change after a disappointing 2025 display
The Los Angeles Rams won’t continue with Ben Kotwica as special team coordinator, instead opting for another option.
LA hired Bubba Ventrone from the Cleveland Browns, who was the former special teams coordinator and assistant head coach for the previous three seasons.
“He’s a guy I’ve had my eye on for a while,” McVay said. “Familiar with his background as a player and a coach… Very aligned philosophically. He’s got great energy, great edge. He’s a great communicator… What he does in regards to just being able to uplift and elevate people he’s around and situations he’s a part of.”
Hiring Ventrone brings the Rams over 10 years of NFL coaching, starting as an assistant special teams coordinator with the New England Patriots.
With the Browns parting ways with Kevin Stefanski and finding a new head coach, Ventrone was free to find a new team. Now, Ventrone will be part of a Super Bowl-caliber team.
“There’s a style of play philosophically with how he believes in coaching, what his units of looked like, where he foundationally learned, what he knows about his game,” McVay added.
“But more importantly, you talk about the impact that he makes. The ability to develop the totality of the roster because… at some point, you’re probably using all those guys, especially in the different phases that he will be responsible for overseeing… I see the energy, the passion that he coaches with, the relationships that he builds and that was something that was appealing to me because I’d like to think when we’re at our best, that’s how we’re coaching as well.”
The Browns were at the top of field goal percentage compared to the Rams, who were in the bottom five, according to Pro Football Reference.
With how many games the Los Angeles Rams lost by a field goal margin, Ventrone seems like a positive addition for the organization.
Some Good News Regarding The Coaching Staff
GettyThe Rams will retain a key member of the coaching staff
After being a top candidate in the 2026 head coaching cycle, Los Angeles Rams coordinator Chris Shula will remain with the team.
The defensive coordinator was a frontrunner for the Pittsburgh Steelers job before the franchise decided to go with Mike McCarthy as the next head coach.
LA already lost offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who will go on to become the next head coach for the Arizona Cardinals.
And with the Rams hiring a new full-time special teams coordinator, the team gets some good news with Shula’s return to the organization for a third season as the defensive playcaller.
“I think take the next step. Continuing to figure out now that we got two years of inventory,” Sean McVay said when asked about Shula’s return.
“How do we continue to maximize all our players? What kind of identity do we really want to play with? What have we been at our best over the last couple of years?… That’s the type of mindset that [Shula] has. He has that growth mindset.”
The Rams will need to find a replacement for LaFleur, but many believe that pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase take the vacant position, who was also receiving head coaching interviews.
Sean McVay Gets Honest About Latest Coaching Staff Hire