The 2019 season was the Los Angeles Rams' 82nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 83rd overall, their 53rd in the Greater Los Angeles Area and their third under head coach Sean McVay. It also marked the Rams' final season playing their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, as the team moved into SoFi Stadium in Inglewood beginning with the 2020 season alongside the Los Angeles Chargers. They entered the season as the defending NFC champions looking to bounce back after their Super Bowl LIII loss to the New England Patriots.

Although the Rams' temporary stadium was officially known as United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this season, the team removed any references to the corporate sponsor due to a team sponsorship from one of its competitors, American Airlines.

Despite starting the season at 3–0 the Rams lost 7 of their final 13 games and after a loss to their NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2016.

Offseason

Coaching changes The Cincinnati Bengals hired Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor as their new head coach February 4, 2019. Pass game coordinator Shane Waldron assumed quarterback coach responsibilities, and the Rams hired Zac Robinson as an assistant quarterbacks coach. The Rams hired Wes Phillips, son of Wade Phillips, as tight ends coach February 12, 2019. The younger Phillips had served in the same position with the Washington Redskins from 2014 through 2018. He had originally succeeded Sean McVay in that position after McVay was elevated to offensive coordinator. Eric Henderson was hired as defensive line coach, replacing Bill Johnson. Prior to joining the Rams, Henderson had served one season as assistant defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Roster changes

Free agents

Position Player 2019 Team Date signed ContractRBC. J. AndersonDetroit LionsApril 1, 20191 year, $1.5 millionRBMalcolm BrownLos Angeles RamsMarch 22, 20192 years, $3.3 millionSSBlake CountessPhiladelphia Eagles May 3, 20192 years, $2.35 millionDTDominique EasleyOLBDante FowlerLos Angeles RamsMarch 10, 20191 year, $14 millionILBBryce HagerLos Angeles RamsMay 6, 20191 year, $805,000CBTroy HillLos Angeles RamsMay 30, 20192 years, $8.25 millionFSLamarcus JoynerOakland RaidersMarch 13, 20194 years, $42 millionILBCory LittletonLos Angeles RamsMay 20, 20191 year, $3.095 millionOLBMatt LongacreArizona CardinalsJuly 24, 20191 year, $805,000QBSean MannionMinnesota Vikings April 7, 20191 year, $900,000GRodger SaffoldTennessee Titans March 13, 20194 years, $44 millionCBSam ShieldsNTNdamukong SuhTampa Bay BuccaneersMay 21, 20191 year, $9.25 millionCJohn SullivanDTEthan WestbrooksOakland RaidersJuly 30, 20191 year, $805,000ILBRamik WilsonJacksonville JaguarsMay 1, 20191 year, $805,000 Player re-signed by the Rams Blake Countess was waived by the Rams on May 2, 2019, after declining to take a pay cut on his one-year, $2.025 million tender signed the previous month.

Free agent signings Position Player Tag Previous team Date signed Contract FS Eric Weddle UFA Baltimore Ravens March 8, 2019 2 years, $8.5 million QB Blake Bortles UFA Jacksonville Jaguars March 18, 2019 1 year, $1 million OLB Clay Matthews III UFA Green Bay Packers March 19, 2019 2 years, $9.25 million QB John Wolford UFA Arizona Hotshots (AAF) April 10, 2019 1 year, $495,000

NFL draft

Notes The Rams traded their second-round selection (No. 63 overall) as well as their fourth-round selection (124th) in 2018 to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for the Chiefs' sixth-round selection in 2018 (209th) and cornerback Marcus Peters. The Rams traded their third-round selection (No. 98 overall) as well as their 2020 fifth-round selection to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for defensive end Dante Fowler. The Rams traded their seventh-round selection (245th overall) and linebacker Alec Ogletree to the New York Giants in exchange for the Giants' fourth- and sixth-round selections in 2018 (102nd and 176th). As the result of a negative differential of free agent signings and departures that the Rams experienced during the free agency period, the Rams were awarded three compensatory draft picks for the 2019 NFL draft, two in the third round (98th and 99th overall) and one in the seventh round (251st overall). The 98th pick was given to the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of the Dante Fowler trade. The Rams traded their first-round (31st overall) and sixth-round selections (203rd overall) to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' second-round (45th overall) and third-round (79th overall) picks. The Rams traded their second-round pick (45th overall) acquired from Atlanta to the New England Patriots in exchange for the Patriots' second-round (56th overall), acquired from Chicago, and third-round (101st overall) selections. The Rams traded their second-round selection (56th overall), acquired from New England to Kansas City in exchange for the Chiefs' second-round (61st overall) and fifth-round (167th overall) pick. The Rams acquired a third-round pick (70th overall) from Tampa Bay, with the Buccaneers receiving two of the Rams' remaining third-round selections (94th and 99th overall). The Rams acquired a third-round pick (97th overall) from New England, with the Patriots receiving the Rams' remaining third-round (101st overall) and fourth-round (133rd overall) selections. The Rams traded two fifth-round picks (162nd and 167th overall) to New England in exchange for the Patriots' fourth-round (134th overall) and seventh-round (243rd overall) selections.

Undrafted free agents

Following the 2019 NFL draft, the Rams signed 19 undrafted rookie free agents who would compete for roster spots and participate in the team's offseason and training camp programs.

Position Player College TE Kendall Blanton Missouri WR Alex Bachman Wake Forest G Chandler Brewer Middle Tennessee State TE Romello Brooker Houston TE Keenan Brown Texas State RB Matthew Colburn Wake Forest DT Marquise Copeland Cincinnati LB Landis Durham Texas A&M WR Jalen Greene Utah State G Brandon Hitner Villanova C Vitas Hrynkiewicz Youngstown State OT Matt Kaskey Dartmouth LB Ketner Kupp Eastern Washington WR Jonathan Lloyd Duke LB Natrez Patrick Georgia OL Justice Powers UAB LB Troy Reeder Delaware DT Owen Roberts San Jose State WR Justin Sumpter Kennesaw State DT Tyrell Thompson Tarleton State WR Nsimba Webster Eastern Washington

Staff

Final roster

Preseason The Rams announced that they would host a preseason game at Aloha Stadium outside Honolulu, Hawaii. On March 21, the exhibition matchup between the Rams and the Dallas Cowboys was officially announced for Saturday, August 17. Continuing a trend he had established the previous season, head coach Sean McVay kept his established starters off the field for the entire preseason, with only his special teams unit of long snapper Jake McQuaide, punter Johnny Hekker, and kicker Greg Zuerlein in their regular season roles.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Oakland Raiders L 3–14 0–1 RingCentral Coliseum Recap 2 Dallas Cowboys L 10–14 0–2 Aloha Stadium Recap 3 Denver Broncos W 10–6 1–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 4 at Houston Texans W 22–10 2–2 NRG Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 8 at Carolina Panthers W 30–27 1–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 2 September 15 New Orleans Saints W 27–9 2–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 3 at Cleveland Browns W 20–13 3–0 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 4 September 29 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 40–55 3–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 5 at Seattle Seahawks L 29–30 3–2 CenturyLink Field Recap 6 October 13 San Francisco 49ers L 7–20 3–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 7 October 20 at Atlanta Falcons W 37–10 4–3 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 8 October 27 Cincinnati Bengals W 24–10 5–3 Wembley Stadium Recap 9Bye 10 November 10 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 12–17 5–4 Heinz Field Recap 11 November 17 Chicago Bears W 17–7 6–4 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 12 Baltimore Ravens L 6–45 6–5 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 13 December 1 at Arizona Cardinals W 34–7 7–5 State Farm Stadium Recap 14 December 8 Seattle Seahawks W 28–12 8–5 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 15 December 15 at Dallas Cowboys L 21–44 8–6 AT&T Stadium Recap 16 at San Francisco 49ers L 31–34 8–7 Levi's Stadium Recap 17 December 29 Arizona Cardinals W 31–24 9–7 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap Notes Intra-division opponents are in bold text. For Rams home games, their home stadium reverted to its original name of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and all signage indicating "United Airlines Field" was covered during games due to the franchise's sponsoring partnership with American Airlines.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Carolina Panthers

Shaking off a slow start, Todd Gurley had 97 rushing yards while Malcolm Brown added 53 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams won their season opener for the third time in as many years under head coach Sean McVay. Following a scoreless first quarter, Los Angeles took the lead on a 49-yard field goal by kicker Greg Zuerlein. Linebacker Samson Ebukam deflected a lateral attempt by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and recovered the fumble, which helped set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Brown and a 10-0 Rams lead. Both L.A. and Carolina traded field goals before halftime. Zuerlein added his third field goal and Brown added a second touchdown in the third quarter as the Rams held a 23–13 advantage going into the fourth quarter. Gurley, who was held to only eight yards on five carries in the first half, had 89 yards on nine attempts in the second half and helped to set up the Rams' final score, a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff to tight end Tyler Higbee. Goff completed 23 of 39 passes for 186 yards, while wide receiver Robert Woods led the team in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (70). Making his return to the lineup after a season-ending injury in 2018, wide receiver Cooper Kupp had seven receptions for 46 yards. On defense, linebacker Cory Littleton had an interception, a forced fumble and fumble recovery to go along with his team-high eight tackles, while fellow linebacker Dante Fowler added a pair of sacks and Clay Matthews III had another in his first game with the Rams. Another new Ram, safety Eric Weddle, was taken out of the game in the second quarter following a collision with Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey that resulted in a head laceration.

Week 2: vs. New Orleans Saints