The 2023 season was the Los Angeles Rams' 86th in the National Football League (NFL), their 87th overall, their 57th in the Greater Los Angeles Area, the fourth playing their home games at SoFi Stadium and their seventh under head coach Sean McVay. Despite struggling in the first half of the season, dealing with injuries and a 3–6 record at the midpoint, the Rams went 7–1 in their final eight games, which was five wins more than their injury-plagued season they had the year before after a Week 13 win against the Cleveland Browns. After a close win against the Giants on New Year's Eve, Los Angeles clinched its fifth winning season in six years. A loss from the Seattle Seahawks later that day helped the Rams clinch their return to the playoffs after a one-year absence. In the Wild Card Round, the Rams were defeated by quarterback Matthew Stafford's former team, the Detroit Lions, led by their former quarterback Jared Goff.
For the first time since 2019, Jalen Ramsey was not on their opening day roster, as he was traded in the offseason to the Miami Dolphins for a 2023 third-round draft pick and tight end Hunter Long. The team came to an agreement to part ways with linebacker Bobby Wagner after one season with the Rams before returning to the rival Seattle Seahawks on a one-year contract. This was also the last season with Aaron Donald on the team until his return in the 2026 season.
The Los Angeles Rams drew an average home attendance of 73,150 in eight home games for the 2023 NFL season, the sixth-highest in the league.
Offseason Coaching changes Following considerable press speculation that he was likely to step away following his first losing season as head coach, Sean McVay announced that he would return in 2023 for his seventh season with the Rams. The Rams announced that they were terminating the contracts of several assistants. Among those who were not being retained were offensive line coach Kevin Carberry, defensive backs coach Jonathan Cooley, special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, assistant defensive line coach Skyler Jones and defensive assistant Lance Schulters. Additionally, offensive coordinator Liam Coen voluntarily resigned to return to the University of Kentucky, where he had previously served as offensive coordinator. Former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was hired by the Rams for the same position. Mike LaFleur's older brother Matt LaFleur, now head coach of the Green Bay Packers, served in the same capacity in 2017, during Sean McVay's first season as Rams head coach. Nick Caley, who had spent the previous six seasons as tight ends coach of the New England Patriots, was hired to take on the same role with the Rams. Joe Coniglio, who spent one season as Navy's outside linebackers coach rejoined his old college roommate, McVay, as the Rams' outside linebackers coach.
Draft
+ 2023 Los Angeles Rams draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 6 Traded to the Detroit Lions 2 36 Steve Avila G TCU 3 69 Traded to the Houston Texans 73 Traded to the New York Giants From Browns via Texans 77 Byron Young DE Tennessee From Patriots via Dolphins 89 Kobie Turner DT Wake Forest From Giants 4 107 Traded to the New England Patriots 128 Stetson Bennett QB Georgia From Giants 5 140 Traded to the Cleveland Browns 161 Nick Hampton LB Appalachian State From Cowboys via Texans 167 Traded to the Houston Texans 171 Traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 174 Warren McClendon OT Georgia From Raiders via Texans 175 Davis Allen TE Clemson From Buccaneers 177 Puka Nacua WR BYU Compensatory pick 6 182 Tre Tomlinson CB TCU 189 Ochaun Mathis DE Nebraska From Titans 191 Traded to the Houston Texans From Packers 215 Zach Evans RB Ole Miss Compensatory selection; from Commanders via Bills 7 223 Ethan Evans P Wingate 234 Jason Taylor II S Oklahoma State From Steelers 235 Traded to the Green Bay Packers From Lions 251 Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers 252 Traded to the Buffalo Bills From Buccaneers 259 Desjuan Johnson DT Toledo From Texans
+ 2023 Los Angeles Rams undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Kelechi Anyalebechi MLB Incarnate Word Tanner Brown K Oklahoma State Braxton Burmeister WR San Diego State Timarcus Davis CB Arizona State Tyon Davis Tulsa Collin Duncan S Mississippi State Christopher Dunn K NC State Tiyon Evans RB Louisville Tyler Hudson WR Tanner Ingle S NC State Sam James WR West Virginia Matthew Jester OLB Princeton Quindell Johnson S Memphis Jordan Jones CB Rhode Island Sean Maginn C Wake Forest Mike McAllister Youngstown State Cameron McCutcheon CB Western Carolina Grant Miller G Baylor Christian Sims TE Bowling Green Ryan Smenda Jr. MLB Wake Forest Xavier Smith WR Florida A&M DeAndre Square MLB Kentucky Rashad Torrence S Florida Alex Ward LS UCF Dresser Winn QB UT Martin Jaiden Woodbey MLB Boston College
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Rams' preseason opponents were announced on May 11, 2023, along with the release of the NFL's regular season schedule.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Los Angeles Chargers L 17–34 0–1 SoFi Stadium Recap 2 Las Vegas Raiders L 17–34 0–2 SoFi Stadium Recap 3 at Denver Broncos L 0–41 0–3 Empower Field at Mile High Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 10 at Seattle Seahawks W 30–13 1–0 Lumen Field Recap 2 September 17 San Francisco 49ers L 23–30 1–1 SoFi Stadium Recap 3 at Cincinnati Bengals L 16–19 1–2 Paycor Stadium Recap 4 October 1 at Indianapolis Colts W 29–23 2–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 5 October 8 Philadelphia Eagles L 14–23 2–3 SoFi Stadium Recap 6 October 15 Arizona Cardinals W 26–9 3–3 SoFi Stadium Recap 7 October 22 Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–24 3–4 SoFi Stadium Recap 8 October 29 at Dallas Cowboys L 20–43 3–5 AT&T Stadium Recap 9 November 5 at Green Bay Packers L 3–20 3–6 Lambeau Field Recap 10Bye 11 November 19 Seattle Seahawks W 17–16 4–6 SoFi Stadium Recap 12 November 26 at Arizona Cardinals W 37–14 5–6 State Farm Stadium Recap 13 December 3 Cleveland Browns W 36–19 6–6 SoFi Stadium Recap 14 December 10 at Baltimore Ravens L 31–37 6–7 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 15 December 17 Washington Commanders W 28–20 7–7 SoFi Stadium Recap 16 New Orleans Saints W 30–22 8–7 SoFi Stadium Recap 17 December 31 at New York Giants W 26–25 9–7 MetLife Stadium Recap 18 January 7 at San Francisco 49ers W 21–20 10–7 Levi's Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Seattle Seahawks
The Rams won in a season opener for the sixth time in seven seasons under head coach Sean McVay, defeating the host Seahawks for the third time in the team's last four visits to Lumen Field. Trailing 13–7 at halftime, Los Angeles dominated in the third and fourth quarters as linebacker Ernest Jones had a team-high nine total tackles including three tackles for loss, while Jordan Fuller added eight tackles from his safety position. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald was credited with four tackles and a half-sack in his first game back from injury as the Rams defense held Seattle to just a single first down and 12 total offensive yards in the second half. Also returning to the starting lineup, quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 24 of 38 passes for 334 yards, while wide receivers Tutu Atwell (six receptions) and rookie Puka Nacua (10 receptions) both had 119 yards receiving in place of the injured Cooper Kupp. Second-year running back Kyren Williams led the Rams in rushing with 52 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns while fellow running back Cam Akers added 29 yards on 22 carries with a rushing TD. Kicker Brett Maher made his debut for the Rams, converting three field goals and three PATs. Offensively, the Rams rolled to 426 yards in total offense without committing a turnover or giving up a sack. With the upset win, the Rams started their season 1–0.
Week 2: vs. San Francisco 49ers
The Rams stayed close to but ultimately could not overcome the visiting 49ers, losing to San Francisco for the ninth consecutive time in the regular season. Playing in its home opener, Los Angeles seized a 17–10 lead in the second quarter as running back Kyren Williams scored twice, once on a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford and then again on a 4-yard TD run with 1:45 remaining before intermission. But the 49ers rallied to tie the score on the final play of the first half, as San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy scored on a quarterback sneak as time expired. Stafford completed 34 of 55 passes for 307 yards but had two interceptions in the second half, both of which led to field goals by 49ers kicker Jake Moody. Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua set an NFL rookie record for most receptions in a single game with 15 receptions (breaking the previous record of 14 shared by four players) for 147 yards. Linebacker Ernest Jones led the Rams' defensive effort with 10 total tackles. Kicker Brett Maher converted all three of his field goal attempts, the last a 38-yarder on the game's final play.
Week 3: at Cincinnati Bengals
Meeting in the regular season for the first time since Super Bowl LVI, the Rams fell to the host Bengals on Monday Night Football. After trading two field goals each in a 6–6 first half, Los Angeles got its only lead on kicker Brett Maher's 42-yard field goal, his third of the evening. But Cincinnati then scored 13 unanswered points, taking the lead on a 14-yard touchdown run by running back Joe Mixon and two more field goals from kicker Evan McPherson. The Rams closed to within a field goal as wide receiver Tutu Atwell scored on a 1-yard pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford with 2:31 remaining. Playing in only his third career game, wide receiver Puka Nacua had five receptions for 72 yards. Stafford threw for 269 yards and a score, but was intercepted twice and sacked six times as the offensive line had to shuffle its lineup due to injuries. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had eight tackles including a sack while cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon recorded the team's first interception of the season in the loss.
Week 4: at Indianapolis Colts
Rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua continued a prolific season start with nine receptions for 163 yards, including a 22-yard catch for his first NFL touchdown to beat the Colts in overtime. The Rams scored on their first four possessions of the game and held a 23–0 lead midway through the third quarter as running back Kyren Williams scored on a pair of 3-yard touchdown runs, while kicker Brett Maher converted three field goals. But Maher missed on two other field goal attempts as the Colts fought back on the strength of rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, who passed for 200 yards and two TDs (while also throwing a pair of successful conversion passes) and ran for 56 yards and another score. Indianapolis tied the game 23–23 with just under two minutes remaining in regulation to force overtime. Having won the coin toss and electing to receive, the Rams marched 75 yards in eight plays as quarterback Matthew Stafford led the team despite visibly limping. On the game's final play, Stafford connected with Nacua over the middle at the Colts' 8-yard line, and the rookie wide receiver weaved his way through a pair of defenders for the game-winning score. Defensively, linebacker Ernest Jones had a team-high 10 tackles while defensive tackle Aaron Donald had four, with both players recording sacks.
Week 5: vs. Philadelphia Eagles