The Rams completed a trade with the Lions to acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford on Saturday, and it didn’t take long for Stafford to become familiar with Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay.
Stafford and McVay reportedly dined together shortly after the trade was agreed on Saturday, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. While the NFL world reacted to a veritable box office deal, the new Rams duo would have enjoyed dinner with Stafford Kelly’s wife and McVay’s fiancée, Veronika, in Los Cabos, Mexico. Stafford and McVay are likely to delve into some film together in the coming weeks, but more important issues were expected on Saturday.
“Once the deal was agreed upon, about 1,100 miles south of Los Angeles, McVay and Stafford sat down to dinner to celebrate a fresh start,” Breer wrote Sunday night. “The coach and his new quarterback were among the NFL people in Cape Town last week: Saints coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees, Rams LT, Andrew Whitworth and others, were also in close over the last few days “.
So how exactly did Stafford and McVay connect so quickly? Kelly Stafford is very grateful.
McVay is friends with Bills receiver coach Chad Hall, who is Kelly Stafford’s brother. The connection led to a friendly relationship between the Staffords and McVay in recent years, and when the trade ended, the two couples teamed up in Cabo to celebrate.
Saturday’s celebration dinner barely came to fruition. Numerous teams took part in the Stafford draws for Breer, including Washington, Carolina, Indianapolis and San Francisco. Both Washington and Carolina offered their respective picks in the first round of 2021 and the football team also offered their third round of 2021. But ultimately, Los Angeles provided the best selection, bringing together Stafford and McVay. for the first of many dinners (and perhaps playoff wins) in the coming years.
Check out Breer’s full column for more information on the trade and more on Super Bowl week.