Super Bowl Champions: The Rams went all in, and it paid off

The journey the Los Angeles Rams have taken over the past 5 years is one of a kind. In just half a decade, the team lost in the Super Bow completely changed its core of players, got back to the Super Bowl, and won it in thrilling fashion. How did they manage to do this? Well, they hopped on a team-building trend that has been on the rise as of late not just in football but all sports, going all in.

It was clear in 2020, a couple of years after the Rams Super Bowl loss, it was time for a change in LA. The defense was still good. Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey were stars, but the offense was not picking up its slack anymore. Todd Gurley had moved on to Atlanta, where he struggled, and Jared Goff simply looked like someone who could not be a starting QB on a Super Bowl team. However, luckily for the Rams, there was a quarterback on the trade block that could maybe get the job done, Matthew Stafford. So, the Rams made the deal, they swapped Goff and multiple high-value picks for Stafford.

The Rams started off the season red hot but hit some bumps. So, they reloaded. The Rams acquired two players looking to chase after a Super Bowl ring in former SB MVP Von Miller, and troubled star Odell Beckham Jr. The Rams got them both, and they were set. Cooper Kupp earned the receiving triple crown as well as Offensive Player Of The Year. With the absence of injured star WR Robert Woods, TE Tyler Higbee and the aforementioned OBJ had great seasons.

The Rams were in the playoffs and looking strong. In the wild card round, they defeated their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, 34-11. Kupp and Stafford then led a miraculous last-second drive in Tampa Bay to win the game on a field goal after blowing a double-digit lead. In the NFC title game, the Rams caught their championship break. The 9ers dropped what would have been a momentum-shifting interception, and the Rams went on to win yet another 3-point game. Then came the Super Bowl. Where, despite injuries to OBJ & Higbee, the Rams’ other stars stepped up and made the game-winning plays. The Rams are now champions. But, there’s a reason I said they went “all in”.

Acquiring stars like Stafford, Miller, OBJ, and even Jalen Ramsey a couple of years back doesn’t come for free. The Rams are set to go without a first-round pick for the next 7 years. Meaning, barring trades, their next first-round pick is someone who is currently in elementary school. Not to mention, the Rams have numerous key free agents yet very limited cap space and will have to hope to get them back on major discounts if they want most of their championship squad back. But, the question lies, is it still worth it to go all in on just 1 or 2 seasons? I mean, the goal of sports after all is to win it all in the present, isn’t it? It worked for the Rams.

The Buccaneers got 2 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl out of Tom Brady. In other sports, the Toronto Raptors won a championship with just one year of Kawhi Leonard. The Lakers have taken in a late-30’s LeBron and got a ring and what looks like will be multiple playoff appearances out of him. Every day, we see the era of developing young stars, especially for bigger markets, going out the window. We are seeing a change in the way of building a team, and we should all be taking note.

Congratulations to the Rams on their Super Bowl win, and we will all look forward to seeing them defend their crown, with what could be a team that looks much different from what we just saw on Super Bowl Sunday.