Rams’ biggest what-if just ran into his harshest reality yet (and fans know why)

The Los Angeles Rams offense has struggled to score as effectively since the departure of running back Todd Gurley. Gurley played five seasons for the Rams (2015-2019) during his six-year NFL career, proving exceptionally productive and versatile. He accumulated 5,404 rushing yards and 58 rushing touchdowns on 1,265 carries, along with 2,090 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns on 218 catches (72.4% catch rate). He was instrumental in the Rams reaching Super Bowl LIII.

Gurley's career, however, was cut short by chronic knee pain that emerged late in the 2018 season. Despite attempts to manage his workload in 2019, his performance declined significantly, leading the Rams to release him due to his expensive contract and lack of cost-effectiveness.

Gurley is now eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time, alongside running backs Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy. While his peak performance was sensational, his relatively short career (six seasons total, finishing with Atlanta) makes his Hall of Fame induction a long shot. Rams fans recognize that Gurley was on a sure-fire Hall of Fame trajectory before injuries derailed him.

Since his departure, the Rams have been unable to find a running back who matches Gurley's dual-threat capability as both a dominant runner and receiver, exemplified by his 2018 season with over 2,000 combined yards and 21 touchdowns. Gurley remains the Rams' sixth all-time leading rusher, and his career prompts speculation about what could have been had he stayed healthy for a longer period.