Sean McVay is not interested in making a scapegoat out of his special teams staff. That's even after a costly breakdown helped sink the Los Angeles Rams against the Buffalo Bills. Following Monday night’s heartbreaking 37-34 overtime loss, questions emerged about special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone. That was after Harrison Mevis’ potential game-winning 48-yard field goal was blocked by Buffalo’s Greg Rousseau. However, McVay made his position clear during Wednesday’s media availability. He offered an emphatic vote of confidence before speculation about a coaching shakeup could gain traction.
Sean McVay, unprompted, in part of his response to a question about the state of special teams at this point: "I have a lot of confidence in (special teams coordinator) Bubba Ventrone. There's no changes that are going to be made there. And we're going to keep working."
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) October 14, 2026
“I have a lot of confidence in Bubba Ventrone,” McVay said, according to team reporter Stu Jackson. “There's no changes that are going to be made there. And we're going to keep working.”
The message was direct: despite the frustration surrounding the blocked kick, McVay intends to address the problems without making an immediate staff change.
Article Continues BelowThe Rams’ special teams unit has struggled with consistency. They have missed four field-goal attempts through the first five weeks of the 2026 season. Mevis’ blocked kick against Buffalo proved especially damaging. It set up Tyler Bass’ 45-yard overtime winner for the Bills. Mevis has since been released by the Rams. Los Angeles had received strong performances from Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua. However, the late breakdown overshadowed much of the offensive production.
The Rams sit at 2-3 after an uneven start featuring flashes of offensive brilliance and costly late-game setbacks. Stafford threw for 383 yards and three touchdowns against Buffalo. Nacua caught a franchise-record 17 passes. Yet Los Angeles has struggled to close out tight games. McVay’s backing of Ventrone signals a preference for fixing execution rather than reacting impulsively. With the NFC race tightening, the Rams need their special teams to deliver when the next high-pressure moment arrives.

