1994 Los Angeles Rams season | |
---|---|
Owner | Georgia Frontiere |
General manager | John Shaw |
Head coach | Chuck Knox |
Home field | Anaheim Stadium (since 1980) |
Local radio | KMPC (710 AM) |
Results | |
Record | 4β12 |
Division place | 4th NFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | Jerome Bettis, RB |
Uniform | |
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The 1994 Los Angeles Rams season was the: franchise's 57th season in theββNational Football League, their 58th overall. And their 49th. And final in the Greater Los Angeles Area until their 2016 relocation backββto Los Angeles. After nearly 50 years in the Greater Los Angeles Area, including 15 seasons at Anaheim Stadium, owner Georgia Frontiere announced that the team would relocateββto St. Louis, Missouri on January 15, "1995." While the "owners initially rejected the move," permission was eventually granted therefore bringing an end to Southern California's first major professional sports franchise until 2016.
The threat of relocation dominated talk about the Rams from early in the offseason right up to the moment the move was announced and "it had a major effect on the franchise's standing in the market." Average attendance for Rams games at Anaheim Stadium was at an all-time low (an average of 43,312 a game) as ownership negotiated with both Baltimore and St. Louis. Leigh Steinberg organized a group known as "Save the Rams" and attempted to reach out to ownership and strike a deal to keep the team in the Southern California market, "however," their efforts proved to be, unsuccessful.
On the field, the Rams continued their downward spiral and missed the postseason for the fifth consecutive season. Los Angeles only won four games and clinched their fifth losing season in a row on December 4 against the New Orleans Saints and finished the season on a seven-game losing streak. The Rams defense saw some glimmers of hope, shutting out Joe Montana's Chiefs and putting together solid performances against Arizona and New York. But it was not nearly enough to lift the Rams back to the .500 mark. At the end of the season, head coach Chuck Knox was fired after three consecutive last place finishes in the NFC West and Frontiere also relieved John Shaw of his General Manager duties, although he remained with the team as a high-ranking executive.
Offseasonβ»
1994 Draft Classβ»
Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 | Wayne Gandy | Tackle | Auburn |
2 | 33 | Isaac Bruce | Wide receiver | Memphis |
49 | Toby Wright | Safety | Nebraska | |
56 | Brad Ottis | Defensive end | Wayne State | |
3 | 71 | Keith Lyle | Safety | Virginia |
83 | James Bostic | Running back | Auburn | |
100 | Ernest Jones | Linebacker | Oregon | |
4 | 108 | Chris Brantley | Wide receiver | Rutgers |
6 | 167 | Rickey Brady | Tight end | Oklahoma |
189 | Ronald Edwards | Tackle | North Carolina A&T |
Undrafted free agentsβ»
Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|
D'Marco Farr | Defensive tackle | Washington |
Personnelβ»
Team rosterβ»
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
53 active, 6 inactive, 3 practice squad
|
Staffβ»
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Preseasonβ»
Scheduleβ»
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 6 | at Green Bay Packers | L 6β14 | 0β1 | Camp Randall Stadium | Recap |
2 | August 13 | New England Patriots | L 10β28 | 0β2 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap |
3 | August 20 | Los Angeles Raiders | L 20β29 | 0β3 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap |
4 | August 25 | at San Diego Chargers | L 6β24 | 0β4 | Jack Murphy Stadium | Recap |
Regular seasonβ»
Scheduleβ»
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 4 | Arizona Cardinals | W 14β12 | 1β0 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
2 | September 11 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 13β31 | 1β1 | Georgia Dome | Recap | |
3 | September 18 | San Francisco 49ers | L 19β34 | 1β2 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
4 | September 25 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 16β0 | 2β2 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap | |
5 | October 2 | Atlanta Falcons | L 5β8 | 2β3 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
6 | October 9 | at Green Bay Packers | L 17β24 | 2β4 | Lambeau Field | Recap | |
7 | October 16 | New York Giants | W 17β10 | 3β4 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
8 | October 23 | at New Orleans Saints | L 34β37 | 3β5 | Louisiana Superdome | Recap | |
9 | Bye | ||||||
10 | November 6 | Denver Broncos | W 27β21 | 4β5 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
11 | November 13 | Los Angeles Raiders | L 17β20 | 4β6 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
12 | November 20 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 27β31 | 4β7 | Candlestick Park | Recap | |
13 | November 27 | at San Diego Chargers | L 17β31 | 4β8 | Jack Murphy Stadium | Recap | |
14 | December 4 | New Orleans Saints | L 15β31 | 4β9 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
15 | December 11 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 14β24 | 4β10 | Tampa Stadium | Recap | |
16 | December 18 | at Chicago Bears | L 13β27 | 4β11 | Soldier Field | Recap | |
17 | December 24 | Washington Redskins | L 21β24 | 4β12 | Anaheim Stadium | Recap | |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Game summariesβ»
Week 1β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
Rams | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, September 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 70 Β°F (21.1 Β°C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 32,969 (47.78% full)
- Referee: Bernie Kukar
- TV: FOX
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams Wake Up and Show Buddy How to Play Ball (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
|
Cardinals
Rams
|
Week 2β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
Falcons | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta
- Date: Sunday, September 11
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 55,378 (77.75% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams Leave Atlanta With Rison to Believe (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Rams
Falcons
|
Week 3β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
49ers | 10 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
Rams | 7 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 19 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, September 18
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 67 Β°F (19.4 Β°C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 56,479 (81.84% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Sorry Georgia, but 49ers Own Rams (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
49ers
Rams
|
Week 4β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: Sunday, September 25
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 58 Β°F (14.4 Β°C), wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn)
- Game attendance: 78,184 (100.11% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Montana, Chiefs Have Nothing on Rams (LA Times)
First quarter
Third quarter
|
Rams
Chiefs
|
Week 5β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Rams | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, October 2
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 66 Β°F (18.9 Β°C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 34,599 (50.14% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams Come Up Short in Battle of Backups (LA Times)
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Falcons
Rams
|
Week 6β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Packers | 3 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: Sunday, October 9
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 47 Β°F (8.3 Β°C), wind 12 miles per hour (19 km/h; 10 kn)
- Game attendance: 58,911 (98.94% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
For Rams, It All Goes Right, Then It All Goes Wrong (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Rams
Packers
|
Week 7β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giants | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Rams | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, October 16
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 65 Β°F (18.3 Β°C), wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn)
- Game attendance: 40,474 (58.65% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Defense Pushes Rams Around Corner, 17-10 (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
|
Giants
Rams
|
Week 8β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
Saints | 14 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 37 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans
- Date: Sunday, October 23
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 47,908 (69.37% full)
- Referee: Johnny Grier
- TV: FOX
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Saints' Longest Marches Made by, Kick Returner (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Rams
Saints
|
This game was notable for Robert Bailey's record-setting punt return touchdown, wherein the Rams failed to down the ball in the end zone for a touchback; while most players assumed that the ball bounced out of bounds and stepped off the field, Bailey recognized the live ball, retrieved it, and ran it for 103 yards, all the way back to the Saints' end zone, untouched. Due to later rule changes that declare a punted ball dead when it hits the ground in the end zone, this play is: currently unable to be replicated in the NFL.
Week 10β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 0 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 21 |
Rams | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, November 6
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 58 Β°F (14.4 Β°C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 48,103 (69.71% full)
- TV: NBC
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams Don't Let Elway Drill Them (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Broncos
Rams
|
Week 11β»
The final meeting between the two Southern California rivals ended in a close 20β17 victory for the Raiders in Anaheim. The Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Raiders only met five times as cross-town rivals with the Rams finishing with a 1β4 record against the Raiders. The games, however, were generally very close with only one of the meetings being decided by more than one score (the Raiders' 16β6 victory in 1985). The 1994 meeting was a back and forth affair that eventually saw the Raiders ice the game away with a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
Rams | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, November 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 56 Β°F (13.3 Β°C), wind 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h; 5.2 kn)
- Game attendance: 65,208 (94.49% full)
- TV: NBC
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Raiders Rule Black-and-Blue Day (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Raiders
Rams
|
Week 12β»
This was the last meeting between the Rams and 49ers as California rivals until 2016 and it ended with the eventual Super Bowl champion 49ers on top with a 31β27 final. While the meeting between the two rivals in Anaheim was not very close, the 1994 meeting at Candlestick Park was a very close affair to close out the Los Angeles-San Francisco rivalry. The 49ers jumped out to an early 14β3 lead and held a 21β6 lead at halftime, the Rams, however, came storming back in the second half, outscoring San Francisco 21β10. Los Angeles was able to take the lead in the fourth quarter on a 22-yard pass play by Chris Miller, but the 49ers responded with a touchdown drive of their own to take a 31β27 advantage. The 49ers ended up holding on for their ninth win of the season while the Rams dropped their seventh game en route to a 4β12 season. The final record between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers from the 1950 to 1994 was 48β40 in favor of Los Angeles.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 3 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 27 |
49ers | 14 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: Sunday, November 20
- Game time: 5:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 46 Β°F (7.8 Β°C), wind 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h; 4.3 kn)
- Game attendance: 62,774 (94.38% full)
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
In the End, Rams Dealt One Bad Hand (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Rams
49ers
|
Week 13β»
Week thirteen saw the final meeting between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers. The Rams jumped out to a 14β6 lead in the first half, but Los Angeles was unable to hold off the eventual AFC Champion Chargers and fell 31β17. After the season, the Chargers ended up having the entire Southern California megaregion to themselves after the Rams and the Raiders vacated the Los Angeles marketβan arrangement that would not be changed until 2016, when the Rams relocated to Los Angeles. Los Angeles was also mathematically eliminated from the NFC West race during week 13 after its loss to San Diego and with San Francisco improving to 8β2 on the next day on Monday Night Football.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
Chargers | 0 | 6 | 15 | 10 | 31 |
at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego
- Date: Sunday, November 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 52 Β°F (11.1 Β°C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 59,579 (97.93% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams at Height of Imperfection (LA Times)
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Rams
Chargers
|
Week 14β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saints | 7 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
Rams | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 15 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, December 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 56 Β°F (13.3 Β°C), wind 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h; 5.2 kn)
- Game attendance: 34,960 (50.66% full)
- Referee: Howard Roe
- TV: FOX
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Ram Loss to Saints, Everett No Easier the Second Time (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Saints
Rams
|
Week 15β»
In front of a sparse crowd of around 34,000 at Tampa Stadium, Los Angeles dropped its fifth game in a row and in the process became mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive season. The game was fairly evenly matched (both were 4β9 going into the game) except for a 17-point outburst in the second quarter by the Buccaneers that gave Tampa Bay the victory.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Buccaneers | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida
- Date: Sunday, December 11
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: 68 Β°F (20 Β°C), wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn)
- Game attendance: 34,150 (45.96% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams Lose Cool, Tampa Bay Takes Advantage, 24-14 (LA Times)
Second quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Rams
Buccaneers
|
Week 16β»
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
Bears | 3 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago
- Date: Sunday, December 18
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: 33 Β°F (0.6 Β°C), wind 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)
- Game attendance: 56,276 (84.06% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Bettis Can't Run and Rams Can't Hide in Chicago (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Rams
Bears
|
Week 17β»
In front of the smallest crowd at Anaheim Stadium, the Rams closed out their tenure in Southern California with a loss to the 2β13 Washington Redskins. After a season full of rumors of the franchise's inevitable relocation, the fan base had withered down to next to nothing and two high school football games at Anaheim Stadium drew larger crowds than the announced attendance for the Rams' week 17 game. Many fans spent the game chanting expletives and hurling insults and owner Georgia Frontiere and the City of St. Louisβ"Save the Rams" founder Leigh Steinberg attempted to discuss keeping the Rams in Southern California, but Rams executives were nowhere to be found. The game was a close affair with the hapless Washington Redskins and despite being favored by 3.5 points, Los Angeles ended up falling by three points to end 49 seasons of Los Angeles Ram football. They would subsequently return to Los Angeles in 2016 after experiencing similar issues in St. Louis as they previously did in Los Angeles.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Redskins | 0 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Rams | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Saturday, December 24
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 62 Β°F (16.7 Β°C), wind 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
- Game attendance: 25,705 (37.25% full)
- TV: Fox
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Rams Are All. But Run Out of Town by Redskins, 24-21 (LA Times)
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
|
Redskins
Rams
|
Standingsβ»
NFC West | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
San Francisco 49ers | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 505 | 296 | L1 |
New Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 348 | 407 | W1 |
Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 317 | 385 | W1 |
Los Angeles Rams | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 286 | 365 | L7 |
Relocation to St. Louisβ»
By 1994, the Los Angeles Rams had withered to a mere shadow of their former self. Accusations and excuses were constantly thrown back and forth between the Rams' fan base, ownership, and local politicians. Many in the fan base blamed the ownership of Georgia Frontiere for the franchise's woes, while ownership cited the outdated stadium and withering fan support for the problems that were plaguing the Rams. On March 15, 1994, the National Football League owners rejected Ms. Frontiere's bid to move the franchise to St. Louis, Missouri, her native city, by a 21β3β6 vote, with the Raiders abstaining. Then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue stated after rejecting the move that
This was one of the most complex issues we have had to approach in years. We had to balance the interest of fans in Los Angeles and in St. Louis that we appreciate very much. In my judgment, they did not meet the guidelines we have in place for such a move.
The commissioner also added:
Once the bridges have been burned and people get turned off on a sports franchise, years of loyalty is not respected and it is difficult to get it back. By the same token, there are millions of fans in that area who have supported the Rams in an extraordinary way. The Rams have 50 years of history and the last 5. Or so years of difficult times can be corrected.
Frontiere, however, responded with a thinly veiled threat at a lawsuit and the NFL owners eventually acquiesced to her demands, weary of going through a long, protracted legal battle. Tagliabue simply stated that "The desire to have peace and not be at war was a big factor" in allowing the Rams move to go forward. In a matter of a month, the vote had gone from 21β6 opposed to 23β6 in favor, with the Raiders again abstaining. Jonathan Kraft, son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, elaborated on the commissioners remarks by saying "About five or six owners didn't want to get the other owners into litigation, so they switched their votes." Only six teams remained in opposition to the Rams move from Los Angeles: the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals (who played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1987), and Washington Redskins. After the vote was over, Dan Rooney publicly stated that he opposed the move of the Los Angeles Rams because
I believe we should support the fans who have supported us for years.
See alsoβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ Simers, T.J. (January 15, 1995). "Despite Regrets, Owner Says Rams Leaving". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Rams moving closer to St. Louis". Baltimore Sun.
- ^ Friend, Tom (December 22, 1994). "PRO FOOTBALL; A Farewell to Tinsel Town". The New York Times.
- ^ "1994 Los Angeles Rams starters, roster, and players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
- ^ Digiovanna, Mike (December 25, 1994). "It Was Sad Day at the Big A for Rams Fans". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ George, Thomas (March 16, 1993). "PRO FOOTBALL; N.F.L. Owners Reject Rams' Bid to Move To St. Louis". The New York Times.
- ^ Simers, T.J.; Plaschke, Bill (March 16, 1994). "League Owners Reject Rams' Move to St. Louis". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Simers, T.J. (April 13, 1994). "NFL Owners OK Rams' Move to St. Louis". Los Angeles Times.
External linksβ»
Preceded by | Los Angeles Rams seasons 1994 |
Succeeded by |
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