Rams Fire Special Teams Coordinator After Collapse Against Seahawks
Week 16 delivered a Thursday night thriller, but for the Los Angeles Rams, it ended in heartbreak and a major shake-up. After blowing a 16-point lead late in the fourth quarter and falling 38-37 in overtime to the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams have made a significant move: special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn is out.
This is no small decision. In Sean McVay’s 10 seasons at the helm, this marks the first time he’s made a mid-season coordinator change. That tells you just how serious the situation has become on special teams - and how costly it’s been.
The final straw came on a momentum-shifting play late in the fourth quarter. With just over eight minutes remaining and the Rams up 30-14, Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed broke free for a punt return touchdown. That play cracked the door open - and the Seahawks kicked it wide open with a furious rally to force overtime and eventually steal the win.
Special teams has been a sore spot all season for L.A., and Thursday night’s meltdown was just the latest chapter. The Rams have struggled in nearly every phase of the kicking game - from inconsistent field goal production to blown coverages on returns. Now, they’re turning the page.
Assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica will take over the unit moving forward. Kotwica brings experience to the role, and the hope in Los Angeles is that a fresh voice can stabilize a group that’s been anything but steady.
Let’s talk numbers, because they paint a rough picture. The Rams are on their second kicker of the season, with Harrison Mevis replacing Joshua Karty earlier in the year.
Karty missed key extra points in tight losses to the Eagles and 49ers - miscues that loomed large in close games. Between Karty and Mevis, the Rams have connected on just 75% of their field goal attempts this season.
That’s tied for second-worst in the NFL, ahead of only the Saints.
And it’s not just the kicking. The Rams are giving up a league-high 16.3 yards per punt return. That’s a backbreaker - consistently setting up opposing offenses with short fields and putting unnecessary pressure on the defense.
Blackburn’s exit ends a two-year stint in L.A. He joined the Rams in 2023 after previous stops as the Panthers’ special teams coordinator from 2018 to 2021 and assistant roles in both Carolina and Tennessee. A former linebacker with the Giants and Panthers, Blackburn brought a player’s perspective to the job, but the results just didn’t follow.
For a Rams team still fighting for playoff positioning, special teams can’t be the weak link. Thursday night proved that one game - and one unit - can swing everything. Now it’s up to Kotwica to steady the ship as the Rams try to regroup heading into the final stretch.