The Los Angeles Rams have fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn following their overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. The decision marks the first in-season coaching change in head coach Sean McVay's nine-year tenure with the team. Special teams errors, including a punt return touchdown and a missed field goal, contributed to the Rams blowing a 16-point lead.
The Rams' special teams unit faltered in their 38-37 overtime defeat to the Seahawks, allowing a 58-yard punt return touchdown by Rashid Shaheed early in the fourth quarter. This sparked Seattle's comeback from a 30-14 deficit. Later, kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard field goal attempt with just over two minutes left in regulation, when the score was tied at 30-30.
This loss on Thursday night dropped the Rams to 11-4 and placed them a game behind the Seahawks in the NFC West race, costing them a shot at the conference's top seed and a first-round playoff bye. The firing of Blackburn, announced on Saturday, came two days after the game, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Tom Pelisero.
Blackburn, 42, was in his third season as the Rams' special teams coordinator, having joined in 2023 after serving as the Tennessee Titans' coordinator from 2018 to 2021 and as an assistant with the Carolina Panthers. He previously played 10 NFL seasons as a linebacker for the New York Giants and Panthers.
Special teams issues have plagued the Rams in three of their four losses this season. In Week 3, they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles after kicker Joshua Karty had two fourth-quarter field goals blocked, one returned for a touchdown by Jordan Davis. In Week 5, against the San Francisco 49ers, Karty missed a 53-yard field goal and had an extra point blocked, contributing to a three-point overtime defeat.
In response to earlier struggles, the Rams switched to Mevis, an undrafted free agent from Missouri, who is 8-for-9 on field goals and perfect on 32 PATs. They also replaced long snapper Alex Ward with Jake McQuaide, who held the role from 2011 to 2020. Assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica will now take over duties.
McVay, known for his loyalty to assistants, made the change amid a season where the Rams boast a strong offense and top-10 scoring defense, aiming to shore up the third phase ahead of the playoffs. The Rams rank 31st in field goal percentage at 75%.