LOS ANGELES — After practice on Wednesday, Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse took a nap. When he woke up, he saw three missed calls from head coach Sean McVay.
“I thought I was getting fired,” Verse said. “I’m like, ‘I don’t know what I did, I thought I was doing pretty good.’”
No such luck for opposing offenses.
Instead, McVay was calling to inform that he had been named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie as the team’s lone representative.
“It felt amazing. Relief was first, though,” Verse said. “It felt good.”
Since being drafted by the Rams in April as their first first-round pick since 2016, Verse has not been shy about the lofty goals he has for his career. He doesn’t want to just be good, but to be considered among football’s greats. And he hasn’t been wary of sharing those opinions with offensive linemen lined up across from him, too.
Through his first 16 games, Verse has recorded 4½ sacks and 75 total quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He has improved in his run defense while learning to drop back in coverage too after playing defensive end in college.
He never set the Pro Bowl as a personal milestone. He figured if he just worked, accolades would come. But now that he has achieved the feat, he understands what it means to the career he’s hoping to build.
“It’s a great deal because you think about how many rookies that get that nomination ever, not just this year alone,” Verse said. “So it’s really a testament to all work I’ve put in, all the places I’ve been – Albany, Florida State, the work I put in in high school – it’s really a testament just to building up that resume that can put you in the conversation of, ‘Oh yeah, he was not just a great player, he was one of the greatest, one of the best at his position.’”
Once he got off the phone with McVay, Verse called his parents. Specifically, his dad, because his mom is more likely to miss a call.
“They started freaking out and I was like, ‘I’m going to call y’all later, y’all are yelling too much,’” Verse said. “Then I called my big brother second.”
Outside linebackers coach Joe Coniglio broke the news to his position room, and Verse’s teammate jumped up to mob him.
“They kept hitting my head, and I was like, ‘Why are you guys hitting my head, we’re in a meeting room, I ain’t got no helmet on,’” Verse said. “But it was really surreal to see how much happiness they had for me and the position that I was in. It’s really thanks to them because they’ve helped push me every day. If I’m not hitting the standard that we had set, they’re going to make me elevate so I can push us all to a higher level.”
Verse is one of just three NFL rookies to make the Pro Bowl this year, alongside Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.
Notes
While the Rams (10-6) have not made any official announcement about the status of their star wide receivers for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks (9-7), Puka Nacua was dressed in a No. 14 jersey and Cooper Kupp in a No. 16, indicating they were playing the roles of D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for the scout team this week in practice.
Right tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulder) did not practice on Thursday. Receiver Jordan Whittington (ankle) was limited.
Receiver Tutu Atwell did not practice on Thursday due to a personal matter.