Brandon Staley 'Just Trying To Survive' vs. Sean McVay in Rams Practice

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay and Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley, a former Rams assistant, discuss their relationship when they coached together

Brandon Staley's time with the Los Angeles Rams may have been short, but he made that time count.

The Rams' defense was already strong, but Staley's arrival in 2020 helped the unit reach a new level. In Staley's lone season as defensive coordinator, the Rams led the league in total and scoring defense, helping the team finish 10-6 with a playoff victory. Staley's impressive showing made him a popular coaching candidate, and he eventually joined the Los Angeles Chargers.

Of course, Staley's time with Rams coach Sean McVay helped him get to this point. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron, and as one of the best offensive coaches in the league, McVay helped Staley stay sharp. The Chargers coach recently spoke on his battles with McVay in practice, and how challenging it was to go against such a strong offensive mind.

“I was just trying to survive against Sean McVay in practice, man,” Staley said on The Athletic's "The Playcallers" podcast. “I was just trying to make sure that we’re not giving up layups and dunks, you know, and getting laughed off the field. And I think that’s what brought it. I think that’s the purest thing, is when you’ve got to show up to practice every day ready to compete.”

On the other hand, McVay had his hands full with Staley's defense as well. McVay sang Staley's praises on the same podcast, crediting him for how well he led his defense.

“The guy (Staley) was, you know, really impressive and had a vision and had a capacity for what he wanted it to look like and how he wanted to teach it,” McVay said. “And he had done it at a really high level and had gone against a lot of different, you know, conflicts and systems at the collegiate level.”

Staley has had some success since leaving the Rams, guiding the Chargers to a 19-15 record and a playoff appearance. However, he has come under fire for his decision-making at multiple points, and the Chargers' epic playoff collapse against the Jacksonville Jaguars in January didn't help matters.

Nonetheless, his time with the Rams remains very impressive, and McVay is now a better coach because of it.

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You can follow Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News

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