Rams ‘Conductor’ finally meets his match — and gets a surprise he’ll never forget

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Los Angeles Rams defensive end Kobie Turner has spent the better part of his four NFL seasons conducting chaos in opposing backfields. On Friday afternoon, the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle finally got a lesson from someone who actually knows how to wield the baton. 

And this maestro didn’t need to sack a quarterback to earn his title.

Following Rams practice, Turner received a surprise visit from Domingo Hindoyan, the new music director of LA Opera, who arrived wearing a Rams jersey and bearing a gift fit for the man affectionately known as “The Conductor.”

Hindoyan presented Turner with a custom conductor’s baton inside an engraved case featuring his name, nickname and No. 91. He even offered the Rams star a few pointers on conducting an orchestra.

For Turner, whose signature sack celebration features him waving an imaginary baton, the moment struck a different chord.

“It’s really cool to be able to represent that we’re more than just athletes,” Turner exclusively told The California Post. “It took me back to when I was multitasking and playing football in college, and then going right after classes to take my conducting classes.”

Turner isn’t some football player pretending to be a musician for social media clicks. The former University of Richmond double major in music and mathematics has performed in a cappella group, played piano, released singles and dazzled fans with his powerful singing voice.

His renditions of “House of the Rising Sun” and Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” have showcased a talent that extends well beyond the gridiron. In 2024, Turner competed in Season 12 of the Masked Singer on FOX as “Goo.” He was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the show.

His ultimate dream after football? Becoming a choir director.

“I’m living my dreams,” Turner said. “I’m playing the game that I’ve always wanted to play. I have a wife, I have a kid, and I’m still able to live that life while continuing to keep music a part of it.”

Hindoyan, who will conduct Georges Bizet’s Carmen at LA Opera from Oct. 17 through Nov. 7, invited Turner and his family to attend the production in downtown Los Angeles. The opera stars Rihab Chaieb and Joshua Guerrero.

Members of LA Opera also got a taste of Turner’s day job, participating in football drills and hitting blocking pads during their visit.

Naturally, that raised one important question: Could Turner return the favor and conduct the orchestra?

“That would be crazy. That would be a whole lot of work,” Turner laughed. “Maybe I could conduct four bars or something, but that’s his world.”

As for the engraved baton, Turner plans to find a special place to display it at his offseason home in the Virginia area where he and his wife grew up. 

“It looks awesome,” he said of the baton. “I might have to send it back to my house and figure out how to get a really nice display for it.”

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