Rams fire ex-Giant Chase Blackburn after TNF special-teams debacle

LOS ANGELES — The Rams fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn on Thursday after a 38-37 loss to Seattle on Thursday Night Football, a defeat that featured a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown that helped spark the Seahawks’ rally and a 48-yard field-goal miss by Harrison Mevis that could have handed Los Angeles the lead late. The move marks the first in-season coaching change under head coach Sean McVay during his tenure with the franchise.

The decision was announced by McVay and was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Blackburn, 42, had coordinated Los Angeles’ special teams since 2023, after stints as an assistant with the Panthers and Titans. He played 10 seasons in the NFL, eight of them with the New York Giants, and was part of the Giants teams that won the franchise’s most recent Super Bowl before their 2012 season.

Assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica will move into Blackburn’s role, though it remained unclear whether the shift is temporary or permanent. Kotwica has coached for multiple NFL organizations, including the New York Jets, Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos, giving the Rams an experienced internal option to steer the unit while the team reevaluates.

Los Angeles has endured a string of special teams miscues this season, contributing to a difficult late stretch in the schedule. In Week 3, the Rams had a potential game-winning field goal blocked against the Eagles, and in Week 5 they surrendered an overtime-ending blocked extra point to the 49ers. Those plays have lingered in discussions about the team’s margin for error as it fights to secure a NFC West crown and a bye into the divisional round with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

The loss to Seattle left Los Angeles at 11-4, two games clear of most contenders in the division, but it also underscored the urgency of stabilizing the kicking and coverage units. Seattle, now 12-3, strengthened its grip at the top of the NFC West and narrowed the Rams’ window for restocking personnel and game-planning advantages as the postseason nears. The Rams will look to finish strong and maximize their playoff position, while McVay’s decision to change the staff signals a willingness to act decisively as the team pursues a deep run.

Blackburn’s tenure in Los Angeles began amid expectations that the Rams would improve a historically fragile area of their game. While he was recognized for his NFL experience and knowledge of the kicking game, the rapid pace of the league’s turnover and the high leverage of late-game situations left McVay and his staff weighing whether a change could provide the spark the unit needed. Kotwica’s background as a longtime special-teams specialist and his familiarity with the Rams’ culture give the organization a practical path forward as it navigates the final two weeks and the potential playoff scenario.

As the Rams reassess personnel and play-calling on special teams, the immediate question becomes how quickly Kotwica can implement his approach and whether interim status translates into a longer-term shift. The team’s performance on special teams will remain a focal point as Los Angeles attempts to secure a higher postseason seed and avoid a shellacking of setbacks that can derail a late-season push.