It's a big week for the Los Angeles Rams: head coach Sean McVay is stepping back this weekend to allow one of his staff members some very valuable leadership experience. It means that Aubrey Pleasant will be the acting head coach for Saturday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers; he is currently the Rams' passing game coordinator and assistant head coach.
McVay announced the decision with glee, saying he was very confident that Pleasant was ready for the role. "He's ready to go," McVay said, according to Stu Jackson on the team's website. "He's earned this right and it's more of just going through some of the mechanics — meeting with the officials, handling some of the different things as it relates to timeouts, being able to communicate with both sides."
Pleasant, who is in his second stint with the Rams, began his NFL coaching career in 2013 as an offensive staff/head coach intern with the Cleveland Browns. He'd go on to spend 2013-2016 with Washington before heading to the Rams as their cornerbacks coach for four seasons. Following stints with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, Pleasant returned to the Rams last year.
He will call the game from the coach's booth, and McVay said Pleasant has been making a big impact and his presence is a plus for them. It's going to be an experience that serves them both. Much as McVay will be getting a different view of game operations from up high, Pleasant will be getting experience in a position that can eventually lead him into becoming a head coach one day.
"This opportunity isn't about the game result," McVay said. "It's about managing and handling everything—from players to coaches. It'll be cool to see how he handles those types of responsibilities."
As the Rams head out to take on this preseason challenge, it will not be about the game, but expectations will revolve around how McVay and Pleasant have grown and developed. That is, fans and analysts will be watching keenly how Pleasant conducts the head coaching duties and how, from up in the booth, McVay guides the team to perfection.
