Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula had the perfect response when he was asked about getting superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett to fit into his system.
Last week, the Rams became the undisputed favorite to win the 2027 Super Bowl. LA was an elite team in 2026 because they had one of the best offenses in the NFL — featuring last season's MVP Matthew Stafford — and a top-10-level defense. It's why they nearly beat the Seattle Seahawks and reached the Big Game earlier this year.
Coming up short in the NFC Championship has motivated the front office to get the final pieces of a Super Bowl-winning team. The biggest piece came last week when they made a blockbuster deal to acquire seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Garrett. It means a team that was already good at putting pressure on quarterbacks just got the best pass rusher in the game.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With the Rams having a winning formula, it would not be a surprise if LA's defensive coordinator was confident about the system he has in place and wanted to have Garrett adjust his playing style to better fit into it. However, that could also be seen as a silly decision, and Shula is not a silly man.
"Obviously, we're still gonna have our principles. But we're gonna let him do what he does best, and we all know exactly what he does best," Shula said ( via the team's website ). "You're not gonna take Michael Jordan , LeBron , all those guys, and pull them out of their comfort zone. We're gonna work with him and put him in the best spots that we think for him and the defense to succeed."
That is the perfect response. Garrett is, arguably, the best pass rusher of his generation. Making him play differently than what made him a superstar would be a poor decision. Fortunately for Rams fans, they don't have poor decision-makers running the team.
Related Headlines
