INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Before he could take questions from assembled media following the Rams' 13-9 preseason victory over the Chargers Saturday night at SoFi Stadium, pass game coordinator/assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant needed to recognize what that game's opportunity meant.
"First, I would like to thank this organization," Pleasant said. "I would like to thank (head) coach (Sean) McVay, but specifically I would like to thank (general manager) Les (Snead), (team president) Kevin (Demoff) and (vice president of football & business administration) Tony (Pastoors) for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to represent our organization for this game. It's different when just one person as a head coach believes in you, but collectively as an organization in order to give you this opportunity, it does not sit very lightly for me, and I want to thank this organization for believing in me."
Pleasant on Saturday served as the team's head coach, getting the reps with all the mechanics and processes that come with the role on gamedays. When discussing it on Thursday, McVay in hindsight talked about not appreciating similar opportunities he got when in Washington until after the fact.
Pleasant had the full autonomy that came with the position, including the challenge flag which he teased McVay about not having last week by waiving in his direction toward the coach's booth at one point during Saturday's game. Pleasant was asked postgame if he called the play that resulted in the 47-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass from Stetson Bennett to JJ Laap. While Pleasant didn't take credit for the play, he said the coaching staff allowed him to have his say.
"They allowed me to say what I thought, whether it was more run, more pass, more aggressive or not," Pleasant said. "But Sean was still on the headset, so we did a good job collectively communicating."
When the Rams announced Pleasant's promotion to assistant head coach during a team meeting this spring, McVay called the authentic reaction and appreciation from players and coaches "one of the cooler moments" he's been a part of. McVay has spoken multiple times about the positive effect and influence Pleasant has on the entire team, and that was no different Saturday night.
The Rams' win over the Chargers wouldn't have been possible without Bennett or kicker Joshua Karty moving past their mistakes. In both situations, Pleasant offered the proper perspective and support.
"Well, my experience being able to coach on offense, defense and special teams at this level, has really taught me the importance of player mental health," Pleasant said. "And one thing that we do here is we talk a lot about 'modeling the way.' And I'm really proud that coach McVay was able to change the messenger, but I wasn't going to change the message. And I wanted them to know that when they came to the sideline, there would be no enemy over here, and those guys needed that support at that time. There's a difference between not taking full advantage of that opportunity and not being ready, and we were ready, but sometimes when things don't go your way, you can't always determine the consequences, but you can take care of those choices, and that's what I wanted to provide for those guys."
Defensive back Jaylen McCollough said Pleasant is "a great leader," and it's something players feel just by talking to him.
"He's very passionate about what he does, and he's very passionate about the individuals he coaches, and that means the world to me, man," McCollough said. "And just being able to learn and play under him is something I feel like can be really, really special later on."
Pleasant said you can't underestimate the value of going through those gameday protocols and procedures specific to being a head coach – "what it means to be a head coach, to talk to the refs, to understand the rules, to walk up and down the sideline, when to use your challenge flag, which plays are reviewable, which plays are not, which plays are challengeable, which plays are not" – all of which he spent the last week preparing for.
Throughout everything that followed Saturday's win – the locker room speech, the postgame press conference – Pleasant tried as hard as he could to not make it about himself. In fact, during his victory speech in the locker room, he said they would discuss game balls later, only for McVay to ignore those instructions and toss him one.
"Here with the Rams, we talk a lot about 'the we is the greater than me,' and I just wanted to reflect that in that situation," Pleasant said. "But again, it's just a nod to coach McVay, of what he thought about the opportunity that I was able to seize, and I'm very grateful."
