Los Angeles Rams

Drake cashed in a bet for nearly $450,000 after Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. scored a touchdown in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals:

.@Drake wins his first bet on #SBLVI in less than 10 minutes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JOyF32iwah

— br_betting (@br_betting) February 13, 2022

Drake barely had to sweat his half-million wager for Beckham to score a touchdown any time during the game, with OBJ getting it done with 6:22 left in the first quarter.

With the Rams facing a 3rd-and-3 from the Bengals' 17-yard line, L.A. quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a dart down the sideline to Beckham, who beat Cincinnati cornerback Mike Hilton for the game's first points:

OBJ'S FIRST CATCH IS A TOUCHDOWN. #RamsHouse @OBJ

📺: #SBLVI on NBC
📱: https://t.co/K02y40b5Nu pic.twitter.com/4nbf2miuHO

— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2022

The Rams took a 7-0 lead after a Matt Gay extra-point attempt.

ESPN will pursue Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay for its Monday Night Football booth if he decides to retire, per the New York Post's Andrew Marchand.

"McVay would likely be able to command a salary of more than $10 million per year," Marchand wrote. "He could also potentially have top broadcasting options with Fox and Amazon, according to sources."

McVay appeared to ponder a future without coaching when he spoke to reporters Friday.

"I know I love football, and I'm so invested in this thing, and I'm in the moment right now," McVay said, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "But at some point, too, if you said what do you want to be able to do? I want to be able to have a family, and I want to be able to spend time with them."

In addition, Wagoner said ESPN's Lindsey Thiry heard from sources that the 36-year-old "considered working as a television analyst as an alternative to coaching."

Ultimately, McVay confirmed that he isn't walking away after the Rams' Super Bowl appearance against the Cincinnati Bengals, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:

From @NFLTotalAccess: No, #Rams coach Sean McVay won't be walking away after the Super Bowl. He texted me, "I’m committed to this team and coaching." pic.twitter.com/Mt9NImDf4f

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 13, 2022

However, McVay doesn't currently have plans to be in the game until his 60s or 70s like other coaches such as the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick.

"Hell, no," McVay said when asked if he'll be a "football lifer," per Fox Sports' Eric D. Williams on Sunday.

"No chance. I love this, but if I’m doing this until I’m 60, I won’t make it."

McVay has been the Rams head coach since 2017. He's amassed a 55-26 record and led the Rams to four postseason appearances and two NFC titles.

Before the opening kickoff at Super Bowl LVI, Mickey Guyton turned heads with a memorable national anthem.

The Grammy-nominated country singer took the field Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to open the festivities before the Los Angeles Rams took on the Cincinnati Bengals.

.@MickeyGuyton’s incredible rendition of the National Anthem! #SBLVI pic.twitter.com/G6099dDz1U

— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2022

Fans were quick to discuss Guyton's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" on social media:

Mickey Guyton representing women of country music beautifully 🤍

— Paxton Elrod (@paxton_elrod) February 13, 2022

mickey guyton giving you vocals AND gospel? aight. aight. AIGHT.

— Brandon Caldwell (@_brandoc) February 13, 2022

Wow @MickeyGuyton . 🙌🏼✨#SuperBowl

— Maren Morris (@MarenMorris) February 13, 2022

Now y’all know who Mickey Guyton is. She’s amazing.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 13, 2022

WOW! I didn’t know who Mickey Guyton was before… but I do now. Chills.

— Tim Williams (@realtimwilliams) February 13, 2022

Mickey Guyton did that.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 13, 2022

Mickey Guyton absolutely crushed the National Anthem. Legit tears came to my eyes. 🇺🇸

— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) February 13, 2022

The big story for many fans, however, is the national anthem length as a common prop bet ahead of Super Bowls. Guyton might have shifted the odds herself during an interview with the Associated Press, saying she was called "quickie Mickey" for her anthem speed.

According to Darren Rovell of The Action Network, Guyton clocked in at one minute and 51 seconds.

National anthem hits over on 1:44.5.

Unofficially 1:51. Helped by adding an additional “still there.”

No legal sportsbook could take the bet.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 13, 2022

This led to quite a reaction online:

OVER BETTORS COLLECT YOUR MONEY 💰 pic.twitter.com/Yt6OhwNwCe

— br_betting (@br_betting) February 13, 2022

Mickey Guyton CRUSHED that OVER!

— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) February 13, 2022

Anthem over bettors ✅ pic.twitter.com/PnplYdeHcS

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) February 13, 2022

Guyton was still able to make her mark while joining a long list of high-profile artists to sing the anthem ahead of the Super Bowl.

"This is a huge moment for me," she told Chuck Arnold of the New York Post. "It's a huge moment for Black people. And I want to represent that in the best possible way that I can."

It will certainly be a moment the 38-year-old will remember forever.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is all about style, so it should come as no surprise that he participated in warm-ups ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals wearing $200,000 diamond-studded cleats, according to TMZ Sports. 

The cleats have 1,494 round white diamonds on the Nike logo, the designer of the shoe told TMZ Sports. 

OBJ's cleats are next level. 👀

📺: #SBLVI -- 6:30pm ET on NBC
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/aK65k02yqx

— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2022

Some serious heat on those feet. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8GMzV3WKeS

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 13, 2022

This is the first time in Beckham's career that he will play in a Super Bowl. Before this season, he had also played in just one postseason game as a member of the New York Giants in 2017, which was a wild-card loss to the Green Bay Packers. 

Beckham joined the Rams in November after being released by the Cleveland Browns. The 29-year-old has been electric in Sean McVay's offense and is a significant reason why the Rams are playing for the Lombardi Trophy. 

In three playoff games entering the Super Bowl, Beckham caught 19 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown on 23 targets. He figures to be a large factor on Sunday alongside Cooper Kupp.

Los Angeles Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald has already cemented himself as one of the best to ever play his position, and he has a chance to add to his legacy in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals.

But Rodney Harrison of NBC Sport revealed before Sunday's game that Donald could be ready to walk away from football if the Rams are victorious.

"He's big on legacy, and he doesn't want to be known as a defender that accomplished so many individual things but never won a Super Bowl," Harrison said. "But he also told me this: If he wins a Super Bowl, there's a strong possibility that he could walk away from the game and retire."

It would be a surprise for Donald to walk away from football, especially considering he is now entering his prime and still playing at a very high level. The 30-year-old recorded 84 total tackles with 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles during the regular season. 

Donald made an immediate impact when the Rams drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 2014. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year that season and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his eight NFL seasons. He's a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time first-team All-Pro selection.

In their first trip to the title game with in Super Bowl LIII, Donald and the Rams fell short to the New England Patriots by a score of 13-3. Donald recorded five tackles, but he was notably stifled by double-teams by Patriots offensive linemen. He will surely be looking to make up for that performance when he takes on the Bengals.

If Donald indeed retires after Sunday's game, he would join a short list of all-time great players who stepped away in their prime. Most notably, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson retired from the NFL at 31 and 30 years old, respectively.

Von Miller could be one Super Bowl run and done with the Los Angeles Rams.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported Miller is expected to "fully explore" free agency this offseason.

The future Hall of Famer is set to be a free agent for the first time in his career in March. While the Rams and Miller have enjoyed their short-term arrangement and a return is possible, it's clear the 32-year-old wants to cash out one more time while he's still at the tail-end of his prime.

Miller totaled 50 tackles and 9.5 sacks while splitting the 2021 season with the Broncos and Rams, emerging as a critical midseason addition to the NFC champions' pass rush. Pro Football Focus gave Miller an overall grade of 88.7 for the 2021 season, an incredible bounce back after he missed all of 2020 with an ankle injury.

“I still feel like I’m the guy who has to go out there and win the game for my teammates,” Miller said this week, per Kyle Newman of the Denver Post. "I still feel like I’m the quarterback (of the defense), that I hold all of the weight on me to try and win the game. And that’s how I want it. That’s the way I’ve always looked at it."

Miller shouldn't have a shortage of suitors given his combination of pass-rushing prowess and on-field leadership. 

The Rams, who traded a second- and third-round pick for Miller at the deadline, knew this was a possible result of their marriage. They've gone all in on bringing home this Super Bowl, jettisoning future draft pick after future draft pick in hopes of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

If they fall short again on the big stage and Miller bolts, we could look back at that deal for blowing up in their face. But if Miller performs as expected against a weak Bengals offensive line, the master plan should pay off. 

The Los Angeles Rams are looking to extend their partnership with Odell Beckham Jr. beyond the 2021 NFL season, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Mortensen reported Sunday the Rams are "very optimistic" about re-signing the three-time Pro Bowler, who caught 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular-season appearances with the team.

It's difficult to gauge what kind of market will emerge for Beckham once he hits free agency.

Aside from the touchdowns, his production in Los Angeles isn't any better than what he had done in the first half with the Cleveland Browns.

• Beckham w/Browns: 17 receptions, 232 yards, zero touchdowns, 13.6 yards per reception, 38.7 yards per game 
• Beckham w/Rams: 27 receptions, 305 yards, five touchdowns, 11.3 yards per reception, 38.1 yards per game

However, the 29-year-old has enjoyed more team success with the Rams than he ever did with the Browns and New York Giants. He was an integral piece of the Rams' offense in the NFC Championship Game, as he finished with nine receptions for 113 yards.

That performance might serve as evidence of the impact Beckham can make with the benefit of a full offseason as a member of the Rams.

However, that has to be balanced against his two-and-a-half underwhelming years in Cleveland, a tenure in which he also underwent core muscle surgery and suffered a torn ACL.

In L.A., Beckham has quieted the skeptics who were especially vocal after his release from the Browns. He's demonstrated he's willing to occupy a lesser role behind Cooper Kupp.

The question is whether OBJ can again be the player he was when he made three straight Pro Bowls to start his career. To that end, how high will the Rams or another team be willing to go for a receiver who might be best utilized as a No. 2 target?

Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson provided an idea in January:

What will that mean for Beckham’s price? That’s hard to say. Thus far, assessments have been all over the place. One AFC executive said his 'Mendoza Line' will likely be north of $10 million per season. Two other league sources slotted his likely contract value between the deals landed last offseason by Nelson Agholor ($11 million per season) and Corey Davis ($12.5 million).

Beckham will also have to weigh whether he prefers to return to L.A. or ply his trade with another team on which he'll be the primary aerial option. He still might be able to parlay one or two strong seasons into a major payday.

The two head coaches in Super Bowl LVI could reportedly cash in with new deals from their respective teams this offseason.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals are in line for contract extensions.

McVay's future has become a surprising talking point leading up to the Super Bowl. The 36-year-old is still the youngest head coach in the NFL despite being in his fifth season with the Rams.

Speaking to reporters Friday, McVay indicated he could retire from coaching sooner than one might expect:

I love this so much that it's such a passion but I also know that what I've seen from some of my closest friends, whether it's coaches or even some of our players, I'm gonna be married this summer, I want to have a family and I think being able to find that balance but also be able to give the time necessary. I have always had a dream about being able to be a father and I can't predict the future, you know? I jokingly say that. 

I don't really know. I know I love football and I'm so invested in this thing and I'm in the moment right now. But at some point, too, if you said what do you want to be able to do? I want to be able to have a family and I want to be able to spend time with them.

One NFC team executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in January that McVay is "trying to get that Super Bowl ring quickly so then he can have options."

The executive added: "If he wants to do TV for a while, he'd be great at it and can always go back and coach any team he wants after that."

There's been no indication that McVay is looking to leave the Rams this offseason. And if there is already speculation about a contract extension, it would seem unlikely he wants to walk away in the near future.

McVay's deal, which he signed in July 2019, runs through the 2023 season. He has a 55-26 record with two Super Bowl appearances, four playoff berths and three division titles in his first five years with the Rams.

Taylor, who was an assistant on McVay's staff in 2017 and 2018, received a four-year deal from the Bengals when he was hired as head coach in February 2019.

Schefter noted Taylor's average annual salary of $3.75 million is the lowest of any head coach in the league.

After going 6-25-1 in his first two seasons, Taylor led the Bengals to a 10-7 record and an AFC North title in 2021. Their 26-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in the AFC Wild Card Round was the franchise's first playoff victory since Jan. 6, 1991.

The Bengals are playing in the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season. They have never won a championship in 54 years of existence.    

Hall of Fame wide receiver and Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin believes Odell Beckham Jr.'s tenure with the Cleveland Browns was always doomed to fail.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, Irvin suggested Beckham needed the big stage of a city like Los Angeles in order to truly thrive:

"Odell Beckham is a bad boy on the football field. Period. He just needed the stage and the right atmosphere to show everybody.

"And, Cleveland just wasn't it, I'm sorry. I love Cleveland, but it just wasn't it. This right here, L.A., Hollywood, Super Bowl, and all the energy and the bright lights it brings, that's Odell Beckham."

After enjoying a few massive seasons with the New York Giants to start his career, Beckham was traded to the Browns prior to the 2019 season. OBJ did have 1,035 receiving yards during his first season in Cleveland, but the explosive plays usually weren't there.

Beckham missed all but seven games because of injury the following season and then frustration truly set in this season.

The 29-year-old wideout had just 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns in six games with the Browns, leading to his father posting a video in which he blamed quarterback Baker Mayfield for OBJ's lack of success.

That led to the Browns releasing Beckham, and he subsequently signed with a Rams team with which he has flourished.

In eight regular-season games as a member of the Rams, Beckham made 27 grabs for 305 yards and five touchdowns. His synergy with quarterback Matthew Stafford has carried over to the playoffs as well to the tune of 19 catches for 236 yards and one score.

Now, Beckham is one win away from his first championship, and he will look to help the Rams earn it in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is facing speculation that he could leave the team for a broadcasting career if they're victorious against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.

In a text exchange with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Saturday, McVay reaffirmed his commitment to the Rams and said he intends to remain with the team "for the 2022 season and beyond."

"I just was texting with Coach Sean McVay asking him if he is going to return next season, and what he texted me back was, 'I am committed to this team and coaching," Rapoport said.

At 36 years old, McVay could have a long career ahead of him if he so chooses. But McVay revealed that he is getting married in the offseason and hopes to start a family soon, so he knows his time on the sidelines is finite.

"I know I love football, and I'm so invested in this thing, and I'm in the moment right now," he said on Friday, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "But at some point, too, if you said what do you want to be able to do? I want to be able to have a family, and I want to be able to spend time with them."

Wagoner added that ESPN's Lindsey Thiry has heard from multiple sources that McVay "considered working as a television analyst as an alternative to coaching."

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported on Thursday that McVay would generate a lot of interest if he were to pursue a broadcasting career, writing, "If the Rams were to win the Super Bowl, McVay could walk away and likely make at least $10 million in a booth."

McVay, who is under contract through 2023, has a career record of 55-26 and will be coaching in his second Super Bowl. The Rams fell to the New England Patriots the first time McVay led them to the title game.