The Rams are looking to shore up one of their biggest weaknesses from last season, and they’ve zeroed in on a familiar name in the special teams coaching ranks. According to reports, Los Angeles has requested permission to interview Bubba Ventrone for their special teams coordinator position - a move that signals just how seriously Sean McVay and his staff are taking their need for improvement in that phase of the game.
Ventrone, currently with the Browns, isn’t expected to be retained on new head coach Todd Monken’s staff. That opens the door for the Rams to potentially bring in a coach with a strong track record of elevating special teams units - something they sorely lacked this past year. Special teams miscues were a recurring issue for L.A., and while they still managed to put together a solid season, those breakdowns were costly in key moments and ultimately played a role in their inability to make a deeper playoff run.
At 43, Ventrone brings a blend of player experience and coaching savvy that’s hard to find. A former linebacker who carved out a nearly decade-long NFL career despite going undrafted out of Villanova in 2005, he suited up for the Patriots, Jets, Browns, and 49ers before hanging up his cleats in 2014. That gritty, underdog mentality has carried over into his coaching style.
He broke into coaching as an assistant special teams coach with the Patriots from 2015 to 2017, learning under one of the most detail-oriented organizations in the league. From there, he took over as the Colts’ special teams coordinator in 2018, where he helped develop one of the more consistent units in the league over several seasons. In 2023, he returned to Cleveland to take on the same role with the Browns.
Now, with the Rams looking to reset their special teams identity, Ventrone could be the right fit at the right time. His units have historically been disciplined, aggressive, and well-prepared - all traits that were missing far too often in L.A.’s special teams play last season.
If the Rams are serious about making another Super Bowl push, this kind of hire could be a quiet but crucial step in that direction.