Head coach Sean McVay didn’t shy away from addressing the controversial moment that didn’t sit well with many. After the Seattle Seahawks edged out the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in the NFC Championship game, he openly owned up to the costly fourth-down decision. The outcome didn’t just keep them scoreless, but prevented any comeback chances, ultimately sending Seattle to Santa Clara.

“We had our chances, I thought about it, and then decided to do it, obviously it didn’t work out for us,” he said during the post-game conference. “But I thought the guys played well…There was a lot of things that we got a lot what we wanted today, felt really good about the way our guys executed, specifically on the offensive side and that was a situation where we just kind of came up short.”

Sean McVay’s late-game decision that came in the fourth quarter loomed large for the Rams on Sunday. With 4:59 left on the clock, the Rams were down 31-27 and faced a fourth-and-4 at Seattle’s 6-yard line. Had they scored a field goal, they would have cut the ‌deficit to one point, but the coach had other plans. He went aggressive, putting faith in quarterback Matthew Stafford to score a touchdown.

The drive saw a promising six-yard pass to Puka Nacua, which moved the Rams into the red zone. Stafford made another short completion to him, but then the momentum stalled. The Seahawks stopped running back Kyren Williams for no gain, following which the quarterback missed a pass to wideout Konata Mumpfield. Then Seattle cornerback Devon Witherspoon eventually broke Stafford’s pass into the end zone. 

It ended the Rams’ best chance to retake control. Seattle took over with just under five minutes remaining and immediately focused on draining the clock. From there, the Seahawks kept ‌possession of the ball until 25 seconds remained. And just like that, Sean McVay’s bold decision sealed their fate against Seattle’s defense. As the Rams’ season ended on a brutal note, the coach fell short of words to share his thoughts.

Sean McVay accepts the outcome, praises his team

Sean McVay didn’t hide his sadness after his team came up short in the NFC Championship contest. He admitted that the loss weighed heavily, especially as they were “a couple of plays” away from a different outcome. But now the reality that the Rams wouldn’t win the Super Bowl is going to haunt him throughout the offseason.

While speaking to the press, McVay revealed how Los Angeles entered the championship game with high hopes. But he acknowledged Seattle made the critical plays, while the Rams fell short due to costly mistakes. But despite the loss, McVay had nothing but love for his team.

“It’s one of my all-time favorites,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you guys right now–nothing but gratitude for these guys, nothing but respect for the Seahawks–and I’m pretty numb…I felt like we were going to be the team on that podium, and we weren’t. And you give Seattle the credit, but I love this group. And I’m never really short on words, and I am right now. So, it’s tough. But this is sports, and you gotta be able to deal with it.” 

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When asked about returning to this stage next year, McVay made it clear it wasn’t as “simple.” In his view, every season begins from scratch, and reaching such a high point in the tournament depends on health, timing, and external and internal conditions. While Seattle’s success didn’t diminish his respect for his own players, Sean McVay is in for some tough decisions this offseason. One of the major ones includes doubts about Stafford’s return next season.