In a decisive and ruthless move, the Los Angeles Rams have terminated special teams coach Chase Blackburn in the wake of their dramatic Thursday night defeat to the Seattle Seahawks.
A Dramatic Shakeup Led by McVay
Head coach Sean McVay orchestrated the immediate shakeup, showing Blackburn the door just days after the 38-37 loss to Seattle. Blackburn will be replaced by assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica. This marks a significant moment for McVay's tenure, representing the first in-season coaching change he has made in his nine years leading the Rams franchise.
Special Teams Failures Prove Costly
The writing had been on the wall for some time, with McVay clearly identifying special teams as a glaring weakness as the playoffs approach. A pattern of errors proved impossible to ignore. In three of the Rams' four losses this season, the special teams unit was directly at fault.
The final straw was the chaotic game against the Seahawks. The Rams conceded a damaging punt return and saw kicker Joshua Karty miss a crucial 48-yard field goal attempt. These mistakes were part of a troubling trend. Back in Week 10, Karty had also missed an extra-point attempt and a 39-yard field goal.
The Final Warning and Forced Action
Following those Week 10 errors, McVay issued a stark public warning, stating the special teams performance 'can't continue like this'. With the problems persisting and directly contributing to the Seahawks loss, McVay was left with no choice but to take drastic action. The move underscores the high-stakes pressure of the NFL season and McVay's determination to fix a clear liability before it derails the team's postseason ambitions.
