More than 60 years ago the Los Angeles Rams boasted a fearsome foursome defense headlined by Hall of Famers Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen that wreaked havoc.
The team has birthed a new version of the fearsome foursome this year.
A monumental offseason for the Rams was capped off with an exclamation point when franchise great and future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald officially decided to end his retirement
and re-join an already loaded Rams club poised for another Super Bowl run.Blockbuster trades for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and two-time defensive player of the year Myles Garrett preceded Donald's decision to dust off his cleats and pads.
The Rams were the prohibitive Super Bowl 61 favorite even before Donald, a two-time defensive player
of the year in his own right, chose to come back. They return 2025 MVP Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and most starters on an offensive unit that finished first in total offense last year. Marry that with a defense that’s bolstered by three of the best players at their position, yes Donald included.
The Rams are the first team to have both the reigning MVP at quarterback and the previous season’s defensive player of the year on the same roster. It’s an embarrassment of riches similar to that of the crosstown Dodgers in the MLB.
Suitably, the Dodgers are vying for a three-peat. While the Rams are the popular choice to win their second Super Bowl in six years.
Is a Super Bowl title inevitable for a talent-laden Rams roster?
Not so fast.
We’ve seen stacked NFL teams come up short.
Favorites often fall short in the NFL
Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Randy Moss powered an undefeated 2007 New England Patriots team to the Super Bowl but famously failed to win a Lombardi Trophy. Following multiple offseason acquisitions, then backup quarterback Vince Young called a talented Philadelphia Eagles a “Dream Team” upon signing in 2011. The Eagles finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. Most recently, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs were throttled in Super Bowl 59 as they attempted a three-peat.
Looking good on paper doesn’t equate to winning.
Injuries must also be taken into account.
The Rams have already faced some early adversity. Garrett's missed multiple days of training camp as he dealt with "a little soreness in his lower half" and Puka Nacua sustained a minor groin injury during camp. Furthermore, Stafford, who fought back issues leading up to the 2025 season, could be a hit away from another flare up.
“The last time I checked, none of that stuff means anything," Rams coach Sean McVay said about offseason hype. "It's what's great about the league. People care, there's a lot of attention, but this is the greatest team sport there is. We've got to come together as a team. We've got to stay humble. There's a lot of stuff in the midst of the journey that we don't control, but I think our ability to be connected, to be courageous, to handle the storms when they do come up and be inside out more than ever before is going to be really important."
It’s undeniable that the Rams are all in this season. The franchise is keenly aware they hoisted up the Lombardi Trophy the last time the Super Bowl was in Los Angeles. Expectations are about as high as a telescope can see at Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory.
“We're not going to allow the outside expectations to change the way that we approach every day with the way that we work, the way that we enjoy it, have the appropriate mindset and energy,” McVay said this offseason. “We're not going to let external expectations inhibit our ability to go swing and be courageous.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams' super team roster finalized by Aaron Donald – now for the hard part | Opinion
