Seahawks - 31, Rams - 27
SEAN MCVAY: I'm never really short on words. I am now. This is tough. But this is sports, and you've got to be able to go with it.
Q. What can you tell the team?
SEAN MCVAY: To be honest, I love this team, and I wasn't ready to stop working with them. I thought we had two more weeks together.
But I am really grateful for each of those individuals and the collective. It's as special of a group that, top to bottom, as I've ever been around. It's coaches and players included.
Sports, it represents a lot of different things. It's a beautiful thing, though. This game has brought me some of the most special relationships that I'll cherish. That's what this team has done. And this was a special year.
I think it's hard to fathom that it's over. It will take some time. But nothing but gratitude. That's what I want them to know.
Q. Hindsight is tough in a situation like this, but on your last offensive possession, it looked like you were running down about to call a --
SEAN MCVAY: I was. We had our chances. I thought about it, and didn't decide to do it. It obviously didn't work out for us.
But I thought our guys played well. There was a lot of things -- we got a lot of what we wanted today. I felt good about the way our guys executed, specifically on the offensive side. That was a situation where we just kind of came up short.
They kind of lucked out on two guys peel on Kyren right there -- I know that can't be a part of their design. Fortuitous bust by them.
But they're an excellent team. You don't take away anything. They earned the win. And they're NFC champs for a reason.
Q. Special teams has been an issue this year. Just one error tonight.
SEAN MCVAY: I know. It's tough, because X-man has been so reliable, and he bobbed the first one. We were lucky to get back on it.
That one, it was costly. I love him. He's done a great job.
And obviously Kyren did a nice job being able to field it from that point on. That was a tough one where we get a great stop coming out of the second half. You feel like you'll be able to get some good momentum. Then they score on the very first play after we turn it back over to open it up to an 11-point lead.
I love the way that offensively we went right down the field in four plays. I just thought there was a lot of resolve, a lot of resilience from our group. And we just came up short today.
Q. Fourth-and-4 at the sixth, can you talk about the play, the Ferguson --
SEAN MCVAY: You're talking about the one where we ended up coming up short? Yeah, I mean they were bringing a zero. They ended up peeling two guys. Can't imagine that's what they were really trying to do kind of try to move off schedule.
And I'll have to go back and look at it, but there was the other opportunities on the previous play that we could have converted on that one, too.
Q. Your group, since '22, in coming back and putting this thing back together, you guys have gotten a step closer every single time. How do you figure out the next step in all of this?
SEAN MCVAY: Well, I mean I think you make a couple of plays tonight and we're talking about a different thing. I don't think it's as simple as that.
You start all over. I mean, you know that.
And that's what's so hard because to get to these positions there's so much work and so much time. Things have to go your way, you have to stay healthy. It's a special group.
You know this, and I know you know this, and I'm not minimizing the question. It doesn't work like that. You've got to make these plays and you've got to capitalize on these opportunities when you get the chances.
And Seattle was able to do that and we weren't. But doesn't take away my love and appreciation for this football team.
Q. Do you expect Matthew Stafford to be back next season?
SEAN MCVAY: Yeah, I mean, if he still wants to play. What the hell kind of a question is that? Yeah. You have to ask him. We've been totally present. I know that if he wants to, he's still playing at a pretty damn good clip.
He's the MVP of the league. If he's not, I mean I've got respect for everybody else, but this guy played at a level that's just different. I appreciate you guys this year. Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports