NFL Network analyst Michael Silver was on NFL Network on Friday to discuss what he feels is the real rivalry within the NFC West – Kyle Shanahan versus Sean McVay. The two head coaches worked together for four years with the Washington Redskins and remain close. Shanahan, who is the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was an offensive coordinator then. McVay, who is the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, was an offensive assistant under Shanahan.

"I think the real NFC West rivalry is Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan, two guys who respect the heck out of each other but certainly are aware that they are competing," Silver said.


The two entered the head coaching ranks together last offseason. During the 2017 season, the 49ers and Rams split their two-game series. Los Angeles won the first matchup 41-39 at Levi's Stadium in an early-season Thursday night thriller.

Having already secured the division and a playoff spot, McVay decided to rest several of his starters for the Rams' Week 17 matchup against the 49ers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Riding a four-game winning streak, Shanahan took advantage of the situation and embarrassed the Rams by a score of 34-13.

The Rams have had an aggressive offseason, signing or trading for big names like wide receiver Brandin Cooks, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. While the Rams have taken a talent-first approach to their offseason acquisitions, the 49ers have focused on bringing in players whose personalities fit their locker room but also offer talent.

Rams general manager Les Snead insists the 26-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the playoffs had more to do with his team's offseason approach than the Week 17 drubbing at the hands of a division rival.

"I always say we throw the Niners out because, at the end of the day, we pretty much played with, you know, let's call it our second-team unit on the field," Snead said in April during an interview on the Talk of Fame Network podcast. "So that one's out the door."


Still, that rivalry between Shanahan and McVay is well established and will make for some exciting division matchups for years to come.

"I spent some time with Sean McVay earlier this offseason," Silver said. "He was laughing. He said, 'You know, we went into that last meaningless game at the end of the year knowing we didn't have anything to play for and I pulled my starters. And Kyle just put it on me.'

"And he said, 'Never again. I don't care if we've clinched everything and we're playing the 49ers. I am playing my guys. I refuse to be humiliated in that fashion.' Of course, he was joking when he said it, but both guys, who have worked together and respect each other a ton are very, very aware that there's a competition between the two of them."

The video of Silver on NFL Network is below. However, ignore his actual tweet text since he admittedly mixed things up.



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