How the 2022 Los Angeles Rams suffered the worst title defense in NFL history
In short: After winning the Super Bowl, the Rams collapsed into a historic losing season. Beset by injuries to their star players and an unprecedented revolving door on the offensive line, the team plummeted from champions to the worst-performing title holders ever, marking a rare low point in the Sean McVay era.
The 2022 campaign was a stark reversal for the Los Angeles Rams, who entered the year as defending Super Bowl champions. By the season's end, they had compiled a 5–12 record, a .294 winning percentage that stands as the poorest performance by any defending NFL or AFL champion in history. This collapse was the team's first losing season since 2016 and the only time they missed the playoffs between 2020 and 2024. The struggles were compounded by a 1–7 road record, the team's worst away performance since 2011.
Injuries played a central role in the team's regression. Key contributors from the previous championship run, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, all missed significant time. The team finished with the third-highest number of players on injured reserve across the league. The instability was most visible on the offensive line, where the Rams utilized 11 different starting combinations in their first 11 games—a feat of personnel shuffling unmatched by any other team since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger.
The season also saw a significant exodus of coaching talent, with several assistants departing for new roles elsewhere. Offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell left to become head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and secondary coach Ejiro Evero moved to the Denver Broncos as defensive coordinator. While the team attempted to fill these gaps with internal promotions and new hires, the lack of continuity contributed to a season defined by offensive inconsistency and defensive lapses. By the time the Rams lost to the Seattle Seahawks in their final game, they had set a dubious record for the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion, officially cementing a historic fall from grace.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2022 Los Angeles Rams season
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