The Rams quietly parted ways with assistant head coach and defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant ahead of the upcoming season. The football world only found out when the Rams released their official coaching staff list in late February, and Pleasant’s name simply wasn’t on it. Now, head coach Sean McVay has finally broken his silence and addressed what it was actually like to let one of his most trusted coaches go.

“Sean McVay on Aubrey Pleasant not being back on the Rams staff: ‘Just felt like it was going to be in the best interest of both parties to move on. Not an easy decision,’” Rams beat writer for LA Daily News Adam Grosbard reported on March 3.

To understand why this departure stings, we must go back to 2017. That was the year Pleasant first joined the Rams as a cornerback coach under the then-newly appointed McVay. Pleasant stayed through the 2020 season, establishing himself as one of the more respected secondary coaches in the building. 

But after four years, he moved on to the Lions, where he spent two seasons (2021 and 2022), working on the defensive side of the ball. His road didn’t stop there. 

Pleasant then took a one-year stint with the Packers in 2022 as an offensive consultant to expand his coaching profile. But in 2023, McVay brought him back to the Rams. This time, as the defensive pass coordinator and defensive backs coach.

After serving three full seasons in that expanded role, Pleasant was looking for a defensive coordinator position. And while McVay framed the departure as a mutual agreement that was “not an easy decision,” the reality of the timeline paints a far more ruthless picture.

Pleasant spent the early part of the offseason interviewing for multiple DC vacancies across the league, including with the Cardinals, Browns, and Chargers, but failed to secure a position. Despite him not landing a promotion elsewhere, the Rams still made the calculated choice not to renew his contract, effectively showing him the door. Ultimately, Los Angeles opted to transfer the Assistant Head Coach title to Kliff Kingsbury, a cold-blooded business decision that currently leaves Pleasant without a coaching home.

The timing of Pleasant’s departure comes as the Rams are actively working to sharpen their defensive identity after a painful postseason exit in the championship game. 

The numbers tell the story plainly: Los Angeles ranked 10th in the league last season, allowing 21.3 points per game, and 19th in total yards allowed at 335.7 per game. Those are respectable figures in isolation, but not when you compare them to the Rams’ offense, which finished first in the league in both categories. 

With Pleasant gone and the Rams looking to raise their defensive ceiling, Sean McVay turned inward. Rather than chasing an outside hire, he promoted from within the building.

Jimmy Lake steps into the spotlight

The man stepping into Pleasant’s role is Sr. defensive assistant coach Jimmy Lake. The coach brings eight years of NFL experience and a lifetime in defensive football. Lake’s journey in coaching began at the college level, starting as a DB coach at Eastern Washington in 2000.

He stayed at Eastern Washington for four years before moving through stops at the University of Washington and Montana State. His pro arrival came in 2006 when he joined Tampa Bay as an assistant. DB coach. After that, he had a one-year stint with the Lions in 2008. But Lake returned to Tampa Bay in 2010 as their full DB Coach.

After the 2011 season, Lake stepped away from the league and returned to college football for a decade. He came back to the professional game in 2023 when Sean McVay hired him as assistant head coach with the Rams. 

But just one year into his return, the Falcons came calling with a promotion to defensive coordinator. Lake took it. But the results were difficult. Atlanta’s defense dropped from 18th in the league in points allowed in 2023 to 23rd in 2024 under his watch, and Lake was let go at the end of the season.

He didn’t stay on the sidelines for long. The Rams brought him back as a senior defensive assistant coach. Now, with Pleasant’s departure, Lake has a real opportunity to make his mark. The stage is set for Jimmy Lake; this is the chance to prove that his time in Atlanta was a chapter, not a conclusion.