In May, the Los Angeles Rams joined up with the Los Angeles Dodgers and U.S. Soccer to host the annual “Sports with Us” clinic for Southland kids. The event, put on by Bank of America, gave 100 kids from all over Los Angeles the opportunity to learn sports fundamentals at Dodger Stadium from the best to ever play.
Various former athletes, including Andre Ethier, Mia Hamm, and Jerry Hairston Jr., participated in the event. Joining them was former Rams All-Pro running back Todd Gurley. Gurley, who starred for the team from 2015-2019, is one of the franchise’s most decorated players, winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 and Offensive Player of the Year in 2017.
Gurley was part of the team’s transition from St. Louis back to Los Angeles and has remained an active part of the L.A. community, continuing his philanthropic efforts throughout the region. Despite not playing a snap for the Rams since the 2019 season, Gurley remains committed to the city due to the hospitality shown to him many years back, recognizing the power for good that his status as a former player can do for his home.
Through a Rams representative, Rams Wire had the chance to ask Gurley about the “why” behind his community efforts.
“I think just being able to be a former Ram, also [the Rams organization] being able to get me a part of the community,” stated Gurley. “Then also what the community and the fan base did for me while I was playing here, they welcomed me with open arms, I still live here to this to this day, so to still be able to live here, get that love in the community, able to do things around the community. I mean, I kind of have to, to be honest with you, right?
“You know, this is my home for the last 10 years, so being able to be here and grow with this community and be able to bring the team back to LA, I think it’s been super, super dope. I had that relationship with the Rams, former players, and just the other sports teams around in the city. So I think it’s a great reason in my why, to be able to still be here and give back.”
Having been a critical part of that transition, as well as the Rams winning the division in their second year back and taking the NFC in Year 3, Gurley has seen the fan base rally, despite other teams having deep roots within Southern California.
I also asked Gurley for his perspective on how the team’s impact on the city had grown over the last decade.
“I think it’s definitely grown,” added Gurley. “It’s definitely a sports town, right and it’s been missing football for, I think, almost what, 20 years, until they came back, and obviously, you have a lot of Raiders fans, a lot of Niners fans, and a lot of Rams fans, but I think we’ve been able to convert a lot of those fans into one, and it helps when you come back and you win.
“Been able to go to two Super Bowls, they’ve been able to win one, and one thing Los Angeles loves is winners, so being able to have that culture, great stadium, just the experience and something like fans can be proud of. Especially when your neighboring team is the Lakers, which is a great organization, the Dodgers, which is a great organization so I think the impact has been incredible, and the things that they’ve been able to do in the community and grow around the city of Los Angeles, because Los Angeles is a big city when you consider the valley, the inner city, Orange County, so, I think it’s super important.”
With Gurley recognizing how the growth of the franchise directly ties into the growth of their community outreach, he has not remained a pedestrian in these efforts, instead choosing to charge full steam as he once did on Sundays.
Gurley has remained close to the game in a variety of ways, recently speaking with Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, as Barkley’s new offensive coordinator is Sean Mannion. Mannion and Gurley were teammates together on the Rams, with Gurley’s usage relaunching the success of the franchise.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Exclusive: Todd Gurley talks community efforts, LA’s growth as sports town
Reporting by Brock Vierra, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brock Vierra, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
