Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVeigh did not laugh at the New England Patriots’ first-round pick. He … uh … laughed at them? McVeigh tried to clarify a video in which he laughed after hearing that the Patriots had taken over Cole Strange in the first round on Thursday.
McVeigh and Rams general manager Les Sneed were in the middle of a news conference when the Patriots were selected. Both men were videotaped as they reacted to the election. McVeigh seemed surprised by the choice, saying, “We wasted our time watching it, thinking it would be 104, maybe.” Then he laughed out loud.
From the video, it sounds as if McVeigh is not a big fan of Strange. It also looks like McVeigh is shooting at Patriots coach Bill Belichick to reach the selection.
McVeigh said no on Friday. In fact, McVeigh said he meant the exact opposite with his comment, according to Pro Football Talk.
“I wish it hadn’t been misunderstood,” McVeigh said. “It was more of a reflection of that, I actually gave Les a little, you know, a hard time, because when we started watching him, I think we both agreed, there’s no way he’s there because we like the player so much. If there is anyone who respects coach Belicik more, what he has done for me, I would like to see him, because I have great respect for this profession, for the players who play at this level, and I would never want you to be misunderstood for Cole Strange or the Patriots that anything but respect for the player. That was my reaction, and any misunderstanding was my fault for the way I probably communicated it. “
McVeigh said he laughed at the fact that he and Sneed liked Strange, but he knew it would be hard to catch him when their first choice came up. Rams’ earliest pick was No. 104 overall, at the end of Round 3. Rams took an offensive line with this selection, choosing Logan Bruce of Wisconsin.
The story continues
Did Sean McVeigh really laugh at the Patriots draft?
We will never really understand what McVeigh was up to with his comment and laughter. However, his reasoning endured. Rams probably likes Strange and think he can last until the 104th election. After seeing Strange leave so early, McVeigh may have felt defeated by Belichick. Alternatively, Belichick’s choice may have confirmed to McVay and Snead that their assessment of Strange was correct. Maybe McVeigh laughed at the way he said, “Well, we were right about the player, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.”
Or maybe McVeigh thought it was a big overdraft, and Belichik made a big mistake. You can read the video in many different ways and still never discover McVeigh’s true intentions.
Sean McVeigh is trying to clarify his comments on the Patriots’ choice for the first round. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
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