Rams’ Pleasant relishes head coach opportunity
INGLEWOOD, Calif — Aubrey Pleasant is the pass game coordinator/ assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Rams. Saturday, in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Rams head coach Sean McVay gave Pleasant the opportunity to shed his official titles to be the one leading the team on the sidelines.
“Yesterday…I thought the guys did an outstanding job playing hard. I thought Aubrey did an excellent job leading the way,” McVay said.
“Just a really cool experience to kind of be able to step back and watch from afar but he was excellent at leading. I thought he handled you guys a lot better than me as well. We’re going to probably try to do that more often. You guys are a lot nicer to him, too,” McVay added.
Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant (left) was handed head coaching duties against the Los Angeles Chargers during an NFL preseason game played at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline
For one game, McVay ditched his sideline gig to make room for Pleasant to run the show. The opportunity McVay afforded Pleasant could be a game-changer for how head coaching candidates upgrade their resumes and audition for potential employers.
It’s an opportunity that McVay feels is well-deserved.
“He’s earned this right and it’s more of just going through some of the mechanics,” McVay remarked after a team practice on Aug. 15. “Meeting with the officials, handling some of the different things as it relates to timeouts, being able to communicate with both sides.”
“Again, these games we approach very differently, but I think to be able to get those reps for the leadership role that he plays for our team, but also to be able to get those chances,” McVay added.
McVay went on to talk about the opportunities he was given as a young coach and how he is appreciative of those experiences.
“Man, we can do something special this year.”
?? Assistant HC Aubrey Pleasant breaks us down after our second preseason dub! pic.twitter.com/ShKJSaIbiN
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 18, 2024
“I remember when I got opportunities when I was in Washington. Those were really cool things that I look back on and I really appreciate in hindsight,” McVay said. “Maybe I didn’t realize how beneficial and valuable they were. Like I’ve mentioned to you guys, he’s earned the right of assistant head coach because of the influence and the positive effect that he has on everyone in this building.”
The Rams beat the Chargers 13–9 to give Pleasant the “W” in his head coaching debut. A 47-yard touchdown pass from Stetson Bennett to JJ Laap in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winner for Pleasant and the Rams.
While this is the second straight game where Bennett led the Rams to a come-from-behind victory, the moment and game ball certainly goes to Pleasant, who was very gracious afterward for his moment in the sun.
“First, I would like to thank this organization. I’d like to thank coach McVay. But specifically, I would like to thank Les Kevin ], and Tony for believing in me and for giving me this opportunity to represent our organization for this game,” Pleasant said after the game.
“It’s different when just one person as the head coach believe in you, but collectively as an organization in order to give you this opportunity, does not sit very lightly for me. I want to thank this organization for believing in me,” he went on to say.
Los Angeles Rams tight end Davis Allen (87) hauls in this pass against the Los Angeles Chargers in an NFL preseason game played at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline
Pleasant is entering his 11th season as a coach in the NFL. The 2024 NFL season will be his fifth with the Rams. As the assistant head coach, the Rams gave Pleasant an undeniable visible platform to showcase that he is indeed a leader of men, even if was for just for a single afternoon.
With Pleasant’s temporary job serving as an outlier, McVay talked about the importance of providing his assistant coaches with opportunities to grow.
“That’s how I was treated,” McVay said. “I had people that were willing to put their arm around me. I saw great examples of that and I don’t know if I truly appreciated how special it was until I look back on it. I by no means am nearly the quality of what those guys that have invested in poured into me and gave me opportunities that really just aren’t afforded based on some of the experience that I had accumulated at the time.”
Walking in the shoes of a head coach proved to be invaluable, Pleasant said.
“It was a great experience,” remarked Pleasant. “You can’t underestimate what it means to be a head coach, to talk to the refs, to understand the rules, to walk up and down the sideline, when to use your challenge flag, which plays are reviewable, which plays are not, which plays are challengeable, which plays are not And those are some of things that I tried to prep myself for the last week or so.”