The NFL is pushing forward with training camp as it was originally scheduled, having rookies report on July 21 with all players showing up by July 28. The preseason is a different story, however, with no one truly knowing how many games will be played this summer.
Sean McVay is getting the Rams ready for camp to start next week, but he’s not so sure it will go off without a hitch or that it won’t be pushed back. On The Helliepod Podcast with Dan Hellie, McVay shared his feelings about camp being about a week away and how he foresees things playing out.
“Usually when you get about a week out – and right now, that’s exactly where we’re at – you start to get revved up, get excited,” McVay said. “And there’s something about this time that you know the amount of things that have to take place for that to logistically get off and get going. Something about it tells me maybe there’s a chance that things get moved back. And that’s what’s weird, because you want to make sure – hey, if we’re going, we’re ready to roll, we’re locked in.”
McVay doesn’t really have a say in this matter because the NFL will determine when players can report, but he’s been telling Rams players and staff members that there is a plan to get football going. He just doesn’t know when that plan will go into effect.
It seems like he wouldn’t be surprised to see the schedule tweaked in some manner.
“What I’ve been telling our people is, ‘Hey, we’re going to have a great plan, whether we get a chance to execute that plan now or a little bit later remains to be seen,”’ McVay said. “But I am confident we will have a season, we’ll be able to play football. Whether or not it goes exactly on the schedule that we’ve all seen, that’s something that I’m a little skeptical of right now.”
Rams camp will be slightly different than most other teams’ because of the presence of “Hard Knocks” cameras. They’ll be filming the Rams and Chargers this year, but the show could be modified if camp doesn’t go according to plan.
McVay doesn’t sound thrilled about “Hard Knocks” being in the picture, initially responding to Hellie’s question about it by saying “don’t get me started on that.”
“I don’t know, I’m just worried about getting training camp off, let alone having to figure out how we accommodate all that stuff,” McVay said when asked how “Hard Knocks” will impact the Rams’ preparation.
“I can promise you’ll probably be a pain in their you know. It’ll be interesting. That’s the least of my concerns right now. I want to be able to try to get it off, but I’m glad you brought up ‘Hard Knocks.’ That makes me feel so good,” he said sarcastically.
This isn’t the first time McVay has expressed skepticism about the return of football, saying earlier this season that he doesn’t understand how they’ll play while still following social distancing guidelines.
“We’re gonna social distance, but we play football? It’s really hard for me to understand all this. I don’t get it. I really don’t,” he said.
