Mob Squad (American football)

The Mob Squad is a nickname that was officially used by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League during both their last season in St. Louis and their first seasons back in Los Angeles. The nickname referred to the team's return to glory in Los Angeles under such players as Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, Cooper Kupp, and head coach Sean McVay. The naming also extends to fans of the Rams,[1][2][3] primarily used by multiple booster clubs around Southern California.

Players

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Aaron Donald has been the definitive leader of the Rams defense throughout the Mob Squad era.
Jared Goff led the Rams to an NFC Championship title in 2018.

The Mob Squad era was defined by defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the team's 2014 first-round selection who has won multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards and is widely considered the best defensive player in the league;[4][5] quarterback Jared Goff, selected first overall in the 2016 draft with multiple Pro-Bowl selections who served as the offensive leader until being traded in 2021; and Todd Gurley, the team's 2015 first-round selection and star Pro-Bowler running back until his 2019 departure. The Rams have also been home to many other notable players during this period, such as Cooper Kupp, Brandin Cooks, and Robert Woods, among others. The Mob Squad has defined the period of transition from St. Louis as well as the quick rise to prominence the team experienced in Los Angeles under head coach Sean McVay.[6][7][8][9]

Player accolades

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Team achievements

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Player achievements

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Pro Bowlers

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Year Players Position Selection Notes
2015 Aaron Donald Defensive tackle 2nd
Todd Gurley Running back 1st
Johnny Hekker Punter 2nd
2016 Aaron Donald Defensive tackle 3rd
Johnny Hekker Punter 3rd
Jake McQuaide Long snapper 1st
2017 Pharoh Cooper Return specialist 1st
Aaron Donald Defensive tackle 4th
Jared Goff Quarterback 1st
Todd Gurley Running back 2nd
Johnny Hekker Punter 4th
Jake McQuaide Long snapper 2nd
Andrew Whitworth Offensive tackle 4th
Greg Zuerlein Kicker 1st
2018 Aaron Donald Defensive Tackle 5th
Jared Goff Quarterback 2nd
Todd Gurley Running back 3rd
Cory Littleton Linebacker 1st
2019 Aaron Donald Defensive tackle 6th
Jalen Ramsey Cornerback 3rd
2020 Aaron Donald Defensive tackle 7th
Jalen Ramsey Cornerback 4th
2021 Aaron Donald Defensive tackle 8th Participated in Super Bowl LVI instead
Jalen Ramsey Cornerback 5th Participated in Super Bowl LVI instead
Cooper Kupp Wide receiver 1st Participated in Super Bowl LVI instead, won Super Bowl LVI MVP

References

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  1. ^ "A Rams fan holds up a sign for the Mob Squad during an NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams".
  2. ^ "#MobSquad, it's go time: time to Go Metro to the Rams home opener".
  3. ^ "Mob Squad Fan Photos vs. Bills".
  4. ^ Heyen, Billy (October 26, 2020). "How good is Aaron Donald? Rams' 'one-man wrecking crew' has a case as NFL's best overall player". Sporting News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Patra, Kevin (June 27, 2019). "Long: Aaron Donald is 'best football player in the world'". NFL. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Michael Brockers explains origin of 'Mob Squad' nickname".
  7. ^ "Squad goals: Rams' Michael Brockers reveals the origin of #MobSquad".
  8. ^ "Origin of MobSquad - Rams on Demand".
  9. ^ "'Mob Squad' nickname for Rams defensive line goes viral".
  10. ^ "Jared Goff Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  11. ^ DaSilva, Cameron (January 19, 2018). "Jared Goff PFWA Most improved player". USA Today. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  12. ^ "AP Offensive Player of the Year Winners". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  13. ^ Orr, Conor (February 6, 2016). "Todd Gurley named Offensive Rookie of the Year". NFL.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  14. ^ "NFL Players of the Week". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Rams' Gurley PFWA Rookie/Offensive Rookie of the Year, Chiefs' Peters Defensive Rookie of the Year; 2015 All-Rookie Team named". ProFootballWriters.org. January 19, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)