In Week 3, the Rams had two fourth-quarter field goals that the Eagles shut down in a 33-26 loss, the second of which was replaced by a Philadelphia touchdown at the buzzer. Two weeks later, the Rams allowed the 49ers to fend off an extra point in the fourth quarter, went to overtime shortly after, and lost to San Francisco.
The turning point for former special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn came in a Dec. 18 loss to the Seahawks, after Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed returned a 58-yard touchdown that proved to be the catalyst for Los Angeles’ 16-point lead. The Rams sacked Blackburn two days later, but the problems continued throughout the season.
Trailing Seattle by four entering the second half of the NFC Championship Game, the Rams forced a punt on the Seahawks’ opening drive of the third quarter — only for Xavier Smith to muff the catch and put Seattle on the LA 17-yard line. The Seahawks scored a touchdown on the very next play to extend the lead to 11 and ended up punching their ticket to the Super Bowl with a narrow 31-27 victory.
On top of such notable fumbles, the Rams also finished with the league’s fifth-worst field goal percentage (78.6) and sixth-worst return yards allowed average (19.8).
Games are never won or lost on one play alone, but Los Angeles’ special teams made constant mistakes, and over the course of the season the Rams’ chances of clinching the NFC West — and ultimately the conference — dwindled.
Ventrone offers hope in that respect.
In 2023, Ventrone’s first season as Cleveland’s special teams manager, Dustin Hopkins hit a team-high eight field goals of 50-plus yards, Corey Bojorquez set a franchise record scoring average of 49.4 and the Browns blocked three field goals. Bojorquez set another franchise record with 36 punts inside the 20 in Ventrone’s second season there, with 16 of his punts coming inside the 10-yard line leading the NFL.
Given that the Rams boast the league’s top-scoring offense and a top-10 defense in points allowed, even modest improvement on special teams could push them over the edge.
Ventrone has been brought in to do it a lot and more in 2026.