Make California Post a Preferred Source Harrison Mevis wasn’t solely responsible for the Los Angeles Rams’ heartbreaking loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. But he was the one who lost his job.
Less than 24 hours after the Rams’ stunning 37-34 overtime loss at SoFi Stadium, head coach Sean McVay explained on Tuesday why Los Angeles released its struggling kicker and chose to sign former New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts kicker Blake Grupe off the New York Jets practice squad.
McVay made it clear that Mevis wasn’t the only culprit in the collapse.
“Ultimately, we need better production and that’s what we’re hoping to get out of Blake,” McVay said. “He wasn’t exclusively the reason. This is the greatest team sport.”
Mevis missed two field goals against Buffalo, including a 48-yard attempt in overtime that was blocked by Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau. Josh Allen subsequently marched Buffalo downfield for the winning field goal.
It was the latest chapter in a special teams nightmare that has repeatedly haunted McVay’s Rams.
But the coach wasn’t interested in making Mevis the scapegoat.
“It was that unit that cost us an opportunity to win the game,” McVay clarified. “That wasn’t the reason that we didn’t win exclusively.”
McVay also praised Mevis for providing stability last season when the Rams desperately needed it.
“I thought he was a rock for us last year when we obviously struggled in that area,” McVay said.
Still, sentiment doesn’t win football games, and right now they need to win more football games.
The Rams have invested too much talent and money into a Super Bowl contender to keep gambling on missed kicks and special teams mistakes.
After converting 12 of 13 regular season field goals in 2025 and going a perfect 6-for-6 in the playoffs, Mevis, nicknamed the “Thiccer Kicker,” made just five of nine attempts this season for an NFL worst 55.6 percent success rate.
Grupe, meanwhile, brings experience and a perfect 11-for-11 finish with Indianapolis last season, although he previously struggled in New Orleans with consistency.
But unless McVay fixes the entire operation, changing kickers might simply be putting a fresh coat of paint on a sinking ship.
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