Ram Digest

'Run it Back': Sean McVay, Aaron Donald Sound Like They’re Not Heading to Retirement

The words "run it back" were both spoken by Sean McVay and Aaron Donald at the Rams' championship parade and rally.

MJ Hurley

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Prior to the kickoff of Super Bowl LVI, questions swirled surrounding the future of Rams coach Sean McVay and star defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

There were plenty of reports flying early last Sunday that if the Los Angeles Rams won the big game that two of their most important pieces may call it a career.

However, at the Rams' championship parade and rally Wednesday in Los Angeles, both McVay and Donald seemed to calm the noise.

With Donald at the podium, McVay ignited a chant of "run it back, run it back, run it back!" while he got the L.A. fanbase to get it on a public sales pitch to the team's seven-time All-Pro.

Once McVay had the fans riled up, Donald continued the hype with a line that indicates he may return to the Rams next season. 

"We built a super team. If we can bring a super team back, why not run it back," he said.

Feb 16, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald holds the Vince Lombardi trophy during Super Bowl LVI championship parade. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Some had concerns that due to the Rams' lack of future draft capital, McVay and others may not want to invest their future in L.A. after pouring all their resources into the 2021 season.

Meanwhile, Rams general manager Les Snead said he is not afraid to continue the strategy that got them to the Super Bowl in the first place. 

While at the podium with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the background, Snead says he'll continue to stick to the blueprint that's aided the team to a championship.

"In honor of the shirt, and f them picks, let's use them to go win another Super Bowl," he said.

Aside from McVay and Donald sounding like they’ll be back, the only Rams player to not sound confident about a return was 40-year-old left tackle Andrew Whitworth. While losing the veteran tackle would be a tough loss for L.A., Snead clearly is not opposed to using draft picks to find another star to replace Whitworth. 

For McVay, he also commented that "this s**t never ever gets old" in regards to coaching and winning. As long as the Rams are winning, it appears McVay wants to be the man in charge. 

Feb 16, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay during the Super Bowl LVI championship rally at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It's always hard to completely run it back with any championship-winning team. Winning a Super Bowl takes the perfect mix of team chemistry, injury luck and an adequate culture in the locker room. But, if the Rams can keep their core stars together, this is an NFC team that can be very dangerous for years to come. 

And in case anyone was concerned, the Rams' top offensive duo seems thrilled with where they are in their careers. Cooper Kupp showed up in a Kobe Bryant jersey and Matthew Stafford could not stop talking about how happy he was with this team in this city. 

When an NFL team is trying to run it back, the biggest factor is all 53 guys wanting to come back. While it's hard to bring all 53 back, it appears the nucleus does have a vision for doing so.

The last team to repeat as Super Bowl champions was the 2002-2003 New England Patriots. Therefore, history suggests the Rams have their work cut out in order to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back seasons.

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MJ Hurley
MJ HURLEY

MJ Hurley is a writer, podcast host and credentialed NFL reporter.

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