The Los Angeles Rams are entering the 2026 season with an unprecedented amount of leadership.
After finishing their initial 53-man roster Sunday, the Rams announced Monday that their players had voted for 11 team captains. That is the largest captain group of the Sean McVay era, surpassing the nine captains selected in 2020. The Rams had seven captains in 2025.
The group is also notable for its balance. Five captains represent the offense, five represent the defense and Joe Cardona represents special
teams. It includes six returning Rams captains and three newcomers to Los Angeles, while Davante Adams and Coleman Shelton are first-time Rams captains.
McVay described the group as having as much leadership as the Rams have had during his tenure, and the list certainly backs up that assessment.
Matthew Stafford
Rams captaincy: 6 years | NFL career captaincy: 17 years
There is perhaps no bigger captaincy lock on the roster than Matthew Stafford. The veteran quarterback has been selected as a Rams captain every season since arriving in Los Angeles in 2021, making 2026 his sixth consecutive year wearing the “C.”
Stafford’s NFL captaincy history is even more impressive. He has been a captain in every season of his career except his rookie year in 2009, giving him 17 captaincies entering his 18th NFL season.
Kyren Williams
Rams captaincy: 2 years | NFL career captaincy: 2 years
Kyren Williams returns as a Rams captain for the second consecutive season. The veteran running back has established himself as one of the team’s most important offensive leaders while also becoming a consistent contributor on the field.
His 2026 selection represents his second career captaincy.
Davante Adams
Rams captaincy: 1 year | NFL career captaincy: 5 years
Davante Adams earns his first captaincy as a member of the Rams after being voted a captain four times previously during his career with the Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders.
Adams’ experience and status as one of the NFL’s most accomplished veteran receivers make him a natural addition to a leadership group that McVay believes is particularly strong.
Tyler Higbee
Rams captaincy: 2 years | NFL career captaincy: 2 years
Tyler Higbee returns to the captain group after previously earning the honor in 2023. His 2026 selection marks his second season as a Rams captain and his second career captaincy.
Higbee has spent his entire NFL career with Los Angeles and is one of the longest-tenured players remaining from the McVay era.
Coleman Shelton
Rams captaincy: 1 year | NFL career captaincy: 1 year
Coleman Shelton is a first-time captain for both the Rams and his NFL career.
The veteran center’s selection gives the Rams another offensive lineman in a leadership role and demonstrates the respect he has earned from his teammates since joining the organization.
Kobie Turner
Rams captaincy: 3 years | NFL career captaincy: 3 years
Kobie Turner has become one of the central leaders of the Rams’ defense. He is entering his third consecutive season as a captain, making 2026 his third career captaincy.
Turner’s rise from rookie defensive lineman to one of the team’s most trusted voices has been rapid, and his continued presence among the captains underscores his importance to the defense.
Myles Garrett
Rams captaincy: 1 year | NFL career captaincy: 3 years
Myles Garrett is one of three newcomers to the Rams who earned a captaincy in his first season with the organization.
Garrett previously served as a captain for the Cleveland Browns, including in 2024 and 2025. His 2026 selection therefore gives him his third career captaincy.
Considering his status as one of the NFL’s premier defensive players, his immediate selection is hardly surprising.
Nate Landman
Rams captaincy: 2 years | NFL career captaincy: 2 years
Nate Landman has earned consecutive captaincies since joining the Rams. After being selected in his first season with Los Angeles in 2025, Landman returns to the group in 2026.
That makes this his second Rams captaincy and second NFL captaincy.
Trent McDuffie
Rams captaincy: 1 year | NFL career captaincy: 1 year
Trent McDuffie is another newcomer who immediately earned the trust of his new teammates.
The cornerback arrived in Los Angeles after beginning his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and quickly established himself as one of the leaders of the Rams’ defense. His 2026 selection marks his first captaincy at the NFL level.
Quentin Lake
Rams captaincy: 3 years | NFL career captaincy: 3 years
Quentin Lake is back as a captain for the third consecutive season.
The safety has become a fixture in the Rams’ leadership group, earning the honor in 2024, 2025 and now 2026. With three captaincies, Lake is tied with Turner for the most among Rams players outside of Stafford.
Joe Cardona
Rams captaincy: 1 year | NFL career captaincy: 2 years
Joe Cardona rounds out the group as the Rams’ special teams captain.
The veteran long snapper previously earned a captaincy with the New England Patriots in 2024 before joining the Rams. His 2026 selection gives him his first captaincy in Los Angeles and second in his NFL career.
Cardona replaces Ethan Evans as the Rams’ special teams representative after Evans served as a captain in 2025.
A historic leadership group
The Rams’ 11 captains represent one of the deepest leadership groups McVay has assembled since becoming head coach in 2017. The previous high-water mark came in 2020, when Los Angeles had nine captains, while the 2021 and 2023 teams each had eight.
This year’s group is different in another important way: it combines the continuity of established Rams leaders with the immediate influence of several newcomers.
Stafford remains the centerpiece, extending his remarkable streak to six straight seasons as a Rams captain. Turner, Lake, Landman and Williams also return, while Garrett and Cardona bring captaincy experience from previous stops.
Adams and Shelton provide additional veteran leadership, and Higbee returns to a role he previously held.
The Rams record number of captains doesn’t even include Aaron Donald who returned to the team on Sunday.
With Super Bowl LXI set to be played at SoFi Stadium, the Rams have made it clear that expectations are enormous for the 2026 season. The decision to name 11 captains reflects just how much leadership the organization believes it has available as it begins its championship pursuit.
