Another chapter in the McVay vs Shanahan rivalry.
What would Batman be without the Joker? Or Muhammad Ali without Joe Frazier?
In football, few rivalries embody this dynamic better than Sean McVay versus Kyle Shanahan.
Tonight, the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers in a must-win game for both teams.
For the 49ers, a loss would end any realistic playoff hopes. For the Rams, a victory keeps their NFC West aspirations alive.
McVay and Shanahan are no strangers to competition. Both honed their craft under Mike Shanahan – Kyle’s father – in Washington, before branching out to lead their own franchises.
Their battles have defined the NFC West for years.
When these teams last met in Week 3, the 49ers were NFC favourites. Since then, injuries have decimated their offense. Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and Jordan Mason are all sidelined.
The Rams, who managed to defeat the 49ers earlier without star receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, are now healthy. They have earned the label of the “team nobody wants to face in the playoffs”.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been on fire, throwing for 1,041 yards, 10 touchdowns, and zero interceptions in the last four weeks.
This must still sting for Shanahan. After Stafford’s trade from the Detroit Lions to the Rams, Shanahan revealed on the Flying Coach podcast that he was in Cabo at the same time as the now-famous meeting between McVay and Stafford.
Shanahan admitted he was also interested in signing the quarterback but missed out.
The rivalry’s defining moment came in 2021. In the final week of the regular season, the Rams could have eliminated the 49ers but lost in overtime. That failure nearly haunted McVay, but he ultimately defeated Shanahan in the NFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl.
Shanahan has led the 49ers to two Super Bowls but has yet to win one. McVay, on the other hand, has claimed a title, becoming the youngest coach ever to do so.
With McVay now winning their last two matchups, this rivalry is hotter than ever. Tonight, a new chapter will be written in this storied battle.
Story originally by former writer Stuart Warren.
