ATLANTA -- The tenets of Sean McVay's coaching philosophy are never far from sight at the Los Angeles Rams' training complex.
"We Not Me" is emblazoned everywhere from the Rams' playbooks to huge wall signs in the locker room. "The Standard Is the Standard" adorns T-shirts.
"Trust the Process" isn't a sarcastic joke in Thousand Oaks, as it became among basketball lovers in Philadelphia. It earnestly greets every player in large letters when they cross the Rams' facility for team meetings.
"I think what football really represents is there's something special about being part of something bigger than yourself," McVay said this week in Atlanta. "The star of the team is the team, however you want to say it. But words are words. You've got to really live it."
In just two years in charge, McVay, 33, has utterly changed -- or perhaps created -- the identity of a franchise that had 13 consecutive non-winning seasons before his arrival. Though they're years away from having the success necessary to finish it, the foundation is set for a culture that could someday emulate the best parts of the "Patriot Way," the unofficial name for Coach Bill Belichick's ability to unite his franchise under his core principles.
On their way to the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Rams navigated a trying regular season at home, with a mass shooting and two wildfires all occurring near their training complex in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
According to players and coaches, that adversity and the franchise's response to it cemented the rightness of McVay's methods -- and through it all, the Rams kept winning.
"Sean has implemented an unbelievable culture," Rams General Manager Les Snead said. "We always say around here that we're not collecting talent. We're building a team, and there's more to a team than just a skillset on a football field."
McVay never claimed to invent his motivational phrases, which mean exactly what an outsider would presume. "We Not Me" isn't Shakespeare, but the NFL isn't English lit class.
McVay's cutting-edge offensive acumen and coordinator Wade Phillips' defensive know-how are the pillars beneath this Super Bowl team, but the Rams believe McVay's commitment to simple, direct communication is another key component.
The players know what McVay means because he repeats his messages constantly, and then he shows them with his actions. His players have responded in kind, and the result is a tight-knit group of disparate personalities that could win a championship this weekend just two years after many of the same players went 4-12.
"When (McVay) got here, it was all about buying into what he was talking about," defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. "Buying into character, and buying into the 'We Not Me' mentality. Ever since we've done that, and this team has carried that on our shoulders, we've been winning. For a man to come in here and just change it like that, I have to show my respect to him. It started with him."
Brockers joined the Rams in St. Louis in 2012, and he endured five consecutive losing seasons before McVay arrived. When asked to name the biggest changes during his Rams tenure, he can't stop: "The leadership we have. The coaches we have. How confident we are in our game plan. How confidently we go into each game."
"I've just seen the changes over these years, and it's beautiful," Brockers added. "It makes me emotional, because things like this don't happen in a short amount of time, and I've watched it grow. Like they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. And I'm seeing it in its beauty right now."
The results are indeed beautiful: The Rams have won 26 of their 35 games since McVay took over. Los Angeles is 15-3 this season and on the brink of a championship despite a tumultuous autumn.
Twelve people were killed less than five miles from the Rams' training complex on Nov. 7 at the Borderline Bar and Grill. Later in the month, wildfires forced dozens of Rams employees, including Phillips, and their families to evacuate their homes.
"We've had a lot of different challenges we've had to rise up to this season, and I'm so proud of our guys for how they handled it," said left tackle Andrew Whitworth, a locker room leader and spokesman. "But to me, life in general is lived best when it's about more than just yourself. We've tried to embody that in everything we do."
The Rams responded by taking care of their work and then striving to improve others' lives. Along with extensive charity fundraising efforts fronted by quarterback Jared Goff, the team welcomed thousands of victims and first responders to their Monday night home game against Kansas City before Thanksgiving, an epic 54-51 victory.
"I had so many people tell me that the game gave them some respite from what they had been going through, and that's the best feeling," said Whitworth, who donated one of his paychecks to relief efforts. "It's not a burden. It's an opportunity to inspire a whole lot of people."
Super Bowl results
2018 Philadelphia 41, New England 33
2017 New England 34, Atlanta 28, OT
2016 Denver 24, Carolina 10
2015 New England 28, Seattle 24
2014 Seattle 43, Denver 8
2013 Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31
2012 NY Giants 21, New England 17
2011 Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25
2010 New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17
2009 Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23
2008 NY Giants 17, New England 14
2007 Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17
2006 Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10
2005 New England 24, Philadelphia 21
2004 New England 32, Carolina 29
2003 Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
2002 New England 20, St. Louis 17
2001 Baltimore Ravens 34, NY Giants 7
2000 St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
1999 Denver 34, Atlanta 19
1998 Denver 31, Green Bay 24
1997 Green Bay 35, New England 21
1996 Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17
1995 San Francisco 49, San Diego 26
1994 Dallas 30, Buffalo 13
1993 Dallas 52, Buffalo 17
1992 Washington 37, Buffalo 24
1991 NY Giants 20, Buffalo 19
1990 San Francisco 55, Denver 10
1989 San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
1988 Washington 42, Denver 10
1987 NY Giants 39, Denver 20
1986 Chicago 46, New England 10
1985 San Francisco 38, Miami 16
1984 LA Raiders 38, Washington 9
1983 Washington 27, Miami 17
1982 San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21
1981 Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10
1980 Pittsburgh 31, LA Rams 19
1979 Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31
1978 Dallas 27, Denver 10
1977 Oakland 32, Minnesota 14
1976 Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17
1975 Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6
1974 Miami 24, Minnesota 7
1973 Miami 14, Washington 7
1972 Dallas 24, Miami 3
1971 Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas 13
1970 Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7
1969 NY Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7
1968 Green Bay 33, Oakland 14
1967 Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10
All-time player shares
WINNER LOSER
2019 $118,000 $59,000
2018 $112,000 $56,000
2017 $107,000 $53,000
2016 $102,000 $51,000
2015 $97,000 $49,000
2014 $92,000 $46,000
2013 $88,000 $44,000
2012 $88,000 $44,000
2011 $83,000 $42,000
2010 $83,000 $42,000
2009 $78,000 $40,000
2008 $78,000 $40,000
2007 $78,000 $40,000
2006 $73,000 $38,000
2005 $68,000 $36,500
2004 $68,000 $36,500
2003 $63,000 $35,000
2002 $63,000 $34,500
2001 $58,000 $34,500
2000 $58,000 $33,000
1999 $53,000 $32,500
1998 $48,000 $29,000
1997 $48,000 $29,000
1996 $42,000 $27,000
1995 $42,000 $26,000
1994 $38,000 $23,500
1993 $36,000 $18,000
1992 $36,000 $18,000
1991 $36,000 $18,000
1990 $36,000 $18,000
1989 $36,000 $18,000
1988 $36,000 $18,000
1987 $36,000 $18,000
1986 $36,000 $18,000
1985 $36,000 $18,000
1984 $36,000 $18,000
1983 $36,000 $18,000
1982 $18,000 $9,000
1981 $18,000 $9,000
1980 $18,000 $9,000
1979 $18,000 $9,000
1978 $18,000 $9,000
1977 $15,000 $7,500
1976 $15,000 $7,500
1975 $15,000 $7,500
1974 $15,000 $7,500
1973 $15,000 $7,500
1972 $15,000 $7,500
1971 $15,000 $7,500
1970 $15,000 $7,500
1969 $15,000 $7,500
1968 $15,000 $7,500
1967 $15,000 $7,500
Super Bowl ad rates
PER 30-SECOND COMMERCIAL
2019 $5,300,000
2018 $5,000,000
2017 $5,000,000
2016 $5,000,000
2015 $4,500,000
2014 $4,000,000
2013 $3,800,000
2012 $3,500,000
2011 $3,100,000
2010 $2,900,000
2009 $2,800,000
2008 $2,700,000
2007 $2,600,000
2006 $2,500,000
2005 $2,400,000
2004 $2,300,000
2003 $2,100,000
2002 $1,900,000
2001 $2,100,000
2000 $2,200,000
1999 $1,600,000
1998 $1,300,000
1997 $1,200,000
1996 $1,085,000
1995 $1,150,000
1994 $900,000
1993 $850,000
1992 $850,000
1991 $800,000
1990 $700,000
1989 $675,000
1988 $645,000
1987 $600,000
1986 $550,000
1985 $525,000
1984 $368,000
1983 $400,000
1982 $324,000
1981 $275,000
1980 $222,000
1979 $185,000
1978 $162,000
1977 $125,000
1976 $110,000
1975 $107,000
1974 $103,000
1973 $88,000
1972 $86,000
1971 $72,000
1970 $78,000
1969 $55,000
1968 $54,000
1967 $42,000
Future sites
2020
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
2021
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
2022
Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park,
Inglewood, Calif.
2023
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
2024
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
Sports on 02/03/2019