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Sarah Barshop
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams have fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It marks the first in-season coaching change that Rams head coach Sean McVay has made in his nine seasons in Los Angeles.
Rams assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica will take over and become the lead special teams coach, a source told Schefter.
Seahawks on Thursday night in a game that included a Seattle punt return for a touchdown and a missed 48-yard field goal by Los Angeles kicker Harrison Mevis.
The Seahawks (12-3) overtook the Rams for first place in the division and the top overall record in the NFC thanks to the 38-37 overtime victory.
The Rams have only lost four games this season, but three have involved special teams miscues. In the Rams’ first loss of the season, a 33-26 defeats to the Eagles, Los Angeles had its final two offensive possessions end with a blocked kick.
In the Rams’ Week 10 victory over the Saints, kicker Joshua Karty missed an extra point attempt and a 39-yard field goal try. After the game, McVay said the Rams» special team issues «can’t continue like this.»
Los Angeles replaced long snapper Alex Ward with Jake McQuaide and Karty with Mevis, who had not missed a kick until Thursday night in Seattle.
Blackburn, 42, was in his third season as the Rams’ special teams coordinator. A former linebacker for the Giants and Panthers, he also has worked as an assistant with Carolina and Tennessee.
