Sean McVay doesn’t fear the cold.
When asked if he would be wearing layers for Sunday’s divisional round matchup against the Bears — in which Soldier Field in Chicago is expected to reach a low of 2 degrees — the Rams head coach said the cold simply does not affect him.
“I’m going shirtless,” McVay said, per NBC Sports. “No, you know what, I will say this, [quarterback] Matthew [Stafford] since he got here, he introduced me to the wetsuit stuff. I’ll wear that. Maybe I’ll have a heated vest. I’ve had some guys that have had that. Here’s what I do know, I can’t think about too many things. I trust whatever [senior director of equipment] Brendan Burger’s got ready for me.
“I’m going to actually get with him after we get done with practice today. He’ll show me everything that he’s got. Usually, it’s a thumbs up. I don’t give a crap about me being warm or cold. That s–t doesn’t matter at all. It’s about our players, but ‘Burg’ takes good care of me.”
When asked if the undergarments would affect him running down the sideline, McVay assured he is in good enough shape to not let it impact his coaching.
“I’m an athlete,” McVay said. “I’ll be in good shape, man. Don’t you worry about me. We’ll be good. Don’t worry. What do you think, I’m going to dress up like the Michelin man or something? No, we’ll be good. All kidding aside, ‘Burg’ has always done a really good job of outfitting me and it hasn’t been an issue.
“Now that I’m not being too stubborn to throw a beanie on after my mom and my wife ripped me, we’ll be in good shape there, too.”
The cold weather has sparked some questions for the Rams, with Stafford holding an abysmal 1-9 record in cold, rainy or snowy conditions since joining Los Angeles, according to Swift Sports Network.
For Sunday’s game, however, Stafford is heading into the frigid weather prepared, with the three-time Pro-Bowler — and 2025 MVP candidate — reportedly wearing a scuba suit under his uniform to keep himself warm.
“It is what it is,” Stafford told the Rams’ official website. “We don’t care what the weather is here or what it is there. We just go play. We have to prepare and have a good week of preparation. We’re going to do that to give ourselves the best chance to go out there and succeed.”
Stafford, 37, is said to have taken the tactic from NFL legend Tom Brady, who used to wear wetsuits under his uniform while playing for the Patriots.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
