Sports Illustrated celebrates the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI Championship!
AT WHIT’S END • THE TACKLE’S L.A. STORY MIRRORS THE RISE OF THE RAMS DURING THE MCVAY ERA
The Season • THIS SEASON SAW A NEW QUARTERBACK, A STAR RECEIVER PICKED UP AT MIDSEASON, A WORRYING THREE-GAME LOSING STREAK AND A COVID-19 OUTBREAK—BUT IT ENDED WITH THE RAMS ON TOP IN THE TOUGH NFC WEST
The Pl ayoffs • LOS ANGELES TOPPLED DIVISION FOE ARIZONA, TURNED BACK AN ALL-TIME GREAT IN TAMPA BAY, THEN FINALLY BEAT SAN FRANCISCO TO EARN ITS SPOT IN THE SUPER BOWL
SOARING START • THE DOUBTS ARISING FROM LATE-SEASON STUMBLES WERE QUICKLY ERASED BY A DOMINANT WIN AGAINST ARIZONA
ON THE MONEY • MATTHEW STAFFORD SHOWED HE WAS THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE RAMS BY COMING UP BIG WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE
TIMELY HITTING • DOWN IN THE FOURTH QUARTER AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO, THE RAMS ROARED BACK, URGED ON BY THEIR DEFENSIVE LEADER
Coming Up Big • BEHIND THEIR NEW QUARTERBACK AND THEIR DEFENSIVE CORNERSTONE, THE RAMS CAME BACK AGAINST THE BENGALS TO CLAIM THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP IN 22 SEASONS
The Heroes • THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED CAME FROM MANY SOURCES, INCLUDING AN OBSESSIVE WIDE RECEIVER, AN INSPIRED MIDSEASON PICKUP AND AN ACCOMPLISHED ALL-PRO WHO WAS MISSING ONLY A RING
COOPER KUPP • THE SUPER BOWL MVP PUT UP THE BEST NUMBERS IN THE NFL THIS SEASON BY BREAKING DOWN EVERY MOVE HE MADE ON THE FIELD, BEGINNING WITH HIS FIRST STEP
AARON DONALD • THE BRILLIANCE OF THE GAME’S BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER WAS FORGED IN HIS YOUTH AND REACHED ITS PEAK AS HE PURSUED HIS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP
VON MILLER • THE MIDSEASON PICKUP BROUGHT THE HEAT—NOT ONLY AS A RUSHER BUT ALSO AS A LEADER WHO HELPED RE-CREATE A MOMENT THAT LIFTED HIS FORMER TEAM TO A TITLE
The History • ITS LEGENDARY PLAYERS AND ITS CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS HAVE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE NFL RECORD BOOKS SINCE THE RAMS FRANCHISE WAS FOUNDED IN 1937,
ALL-TIME TEAM • THE GREATEST EVER TO WEAR THE RAMS’ UNIFORM INCLUDE ELECTRIC OFFENSIVE STARS WHO HELPED REVOLUTIONIZE THE SPORT AND DEFENSIVE LEGENDS WHO COULD BE DESCRIBED ONLY AS FEARSOME
COVER STORY • FROM HALFBACK JON ARNETT IN 1961 TO KICKER GREG ZUERLEIN IN 2019, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED HAS KEPT THE RAMS FRONT AND CENTER
THIS MAGIC MOMENT • Cooper Kupp’s one-yard touchdown reception put the Rams ahead 23–20 with 1:25 remaining in Super Bowl LVI, and the defense made it stand up.