Rams’ roots run in Jaguars’ success

Jacksonville brain trust Coen and Gladstone worked under M cVay and Snead

- Gary KLEIN

COACH SEAN McVAY, left, and general manager Les Snead of the Rams at one time employed Jaguars coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone.

Rams general manager Les Snead and Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone still talk every week.

Gladstone worked for Snead for nine years before the Jaguars hired him last January. So they have remained in touch through free agency, the draft and the season.

But this week, with their teams playing against each other at Wembley Stadium in London, Snead thought it might be best to go old-school and not talk until the game was over.

“James, he’s of the younger generation, so he’s like, ‘No you can talk during game week,’” Snead said as he watched the Rams practice in Baltimore. “I’m more kind of... you shouldn’t shake hands before the game, right? We're trying to beat each other.

“We joked about that. It just seems like a regular game week right now.”

As Rams coach Sean McVay and Snead navigate their ninth season together, they can't avoid seeing throughout the NFL the fruits — and competitive challenges — created by their labors and success.

Head coaches Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers, Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals, Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings and Raheem Morris of the Atlanta Falcons all served as assistants under McVay.