Published October 13, 2026 09:43 PM
The Rams’ special teams miscues cost kicker Harrison Mevis his job. It won’t cost special teams coach Bubba Ventrone his.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that Ventrone’s job is safe.
“I have a lot of confidence in Bubba Ventrone,” McVay said, via NFL.com. “There’s no changes that are gonna be made there. We’re gonna keep working. This isn’t the first time that we’ve had adversity and the first time that we’ve had some different things that I have to do a better job of.”
The Rams fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn in December after a series of blunders by the unit in a 38-37 overtime loss to the Seahawks. Assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica finished the season as the interim coordinator, but the Rams muffed a punt in the NFC Championship Game.
The Rams hired Ventrone in January.
He was the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for three seasons on Cleveland’s staff. He has also coached for the Colts and Patriots since concluding a playing career that saw him spend time with the 49ers, Browns and Patriots.
Ventrone inherited Mevis, who went 12-of-13 on field goals and made all his extra points last season.
Mevis missed two field goals in the Rams’ 37-34 overtime loss to the Bills on Monday night. He was wide left on a 50-yard try on the Rams’ first possession and had a 48-yard, game-winning attempt blocked by Greg Rousseau in overtime.
Mevis had missed four of nine attempts this season.
The Rams signed kicker Blake Grupe off the Jets’ practice squad on Tuesday.