Rams parade: Aaron Donald, Sean McVay want to 'run it back'
The Los Angeles Rams celebrated their Super Bowl win in style on Wednesday.
Did they deliver some good news for Rams fans in the process?
Their victory parade in Los Angeles went off as Super Bowl celebrations tend to go — heavy on the booze. When it came time to give speeches, the filters were off. Aaron Donald was appropriately front and center — and shirtless — while holding the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy.
His speech was interrupted by head coach Sean McVay who grabbed the mic and shouted a message that should be of great interest to Rams fans.
"Run it back! Run it back. Run it back!" McVay shouted in to the mic.
Donald, clearly not one to throw a wet towel on the moment, responded in kind.
"We built a super team. If we can bring a super team back, why not run it back?" Donald said. "We can be world champs again."
“Run it back!” Donald cheers at Coach Sean McVay's prompting. Watch live: https://t.co/NC01zu7b8I pic.twitter.com/BzHafqxSjp
— KTLA (@KTLA) February 16, 2022
In most instances, this sort of cheerleading is standard fodder for victory parades. But McVay's and Donald's status moving forward as members of the Rams are both in question. Rumors have swirled around McVay potentially retiring from the grind of NFL coaching at 36 years old for the considerably less-stressful pastures of the broadcast booth.
He didn't douse those rumors when given the opportunity early Monday after the Super Bowl, telling the Los Angeles Times "we'll see" when asked if he'd return to the Rams next season.
Donald, meanwhile was the subject of multiple reports on Super Bowl Sunday that he'd consider retiring in his prime if the Rams won. The Rams won. Donald, like McVay, declined to stamp those rumors out postgame.
So are they actually planning to come back?
It's hard to put too much stock in enthusiastic proclamations that may or may not have been made under the influence on Wednesday. But McVay sounded pretty enthused about another go at it. And it's not clear if he'd been drinking.
Donald most definitely had been drinking.
Aaron Donald's been drinking "a little bit" 😆 pic.twitter.com/Ru96YKUkzS
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 16, 2022
And flexing.
Aaron Donald's flexing on 'em at the Rams' Super Bowl parade 😂💪pic.twitter.com/hu3In9dr7x
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 16, 2022
His "run it back" declaration was also made under a significant amount of peer pressure. But Rams fans surely have to like what they heard on Wednesday. Team president Kevin Demoff certainly did:
Kevin Demoff on McVay’s status: “I think you saw Sean on stage today. He’s ready to go defend our title.”
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) February 16, 2022
Tom Brady's tequila advice for Matthew Stafford
Donald and McVay weren't the only Rams making the most of the moment, of course. Matthew Stafford, fresh off cleaning the stink of 12 years with the Detroit Lions off his narrative, was "damn happy to be standing up here with you guys celebrating this s***."
The Southern accent he cultivated growing up in Florida and Texas and playing college ball in Georgia reemerged with the aid of some high-end tequila. That he drank straight from the bottle, of course.
Matt Stafford has been hitting the 1942 hard 😂 pic.twitter.com/rN7Ue0rclS
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) February 16, 2022
"Let's go, ya'll!"
Tom Brady — who's been here before — was watching. He shared some friendly advice with Stafford.
Mix in a water Matt…trust me https://t.co/WEVupw2Yzl
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 16, 2022
In case you forgot, here's Brady after last season's Tampa Bay Buccaneers boat parade.
I guess his sea legs aren’t what they used to be... pic.twitter.com/44K42bWPMe
— Joey Knight (@TBTimes_Bulls) February 10, 2021
Left tackle and elder statesman Andrew Whitworth, meanwhile, payed homage to Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp with a throw-back T-shirt.
Andrew Whitworth rocking Cooper Kupp's high school photo on his t-shirt. 😆 pic.twitter.com/RggiTDhTp1
— theScore (@theScore) February 16, 2022
He then shared a message of positivity for everyone who was watching.
"Don't let anybody's opinions of you ever become your reality. Bet on yourself. World DAMN champions."
Andrew Whitworth with the wise words 👏pic.twitter.com/oLljXcucZd— Yahoo Sports NFL (@YahooSportsNFL) February 16, 2022
"Five years ago, I was told I was a little too old," Whitworth said. "And I was told that maybe my time was done. I tell you this for every single person standing out there that's ever doubted anything you've ever done. Bet on yourself, because five years later, I'm holding this trophy up, and I'm 40 years old.
"Don't let anybody's opinion of you ever become your reality. Bet on yourself. World damn champions."