Rams 'really close' to 100% vaccination rate among players, McVay says

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- With SoFi Stadium set to host next year's Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams are gearing up for a run to finish atop the NFC West with a COVID-19 vaccination rate approaching 100%.

While training camp gets underway Wednesday, head coach Sean McVay is making sure all COVID safety protocols are met.

"We are really close to 100% of our players having the vaccination," McVay said.

While the NFL has implemented a policy on COVID, including any team suffering a viral outbreak being forced to forfeit the game, McVay adds having his team fully vaccinated avoids any major conflict with the league.

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"What it does do is it eliminates some of the things that you naturally have to just navigate through with the obstacles that are in place, whether you are or aren't, some of the protocols that we have to follow," McVay said. "So I feel like we're in a really good place and it's not going to be any reason for it to be a distraction for our team."

The Rams have suffered a major blow as second-year running back Cam Akers tore his Achilles and will miss the upcoming season. However, McVay is looking for Darrell Henderson to fill the void.

"Unfortunately for Cam, we're gonna miss him a lot and he's meant a whole lot to this football team over the last year, and I think he will for years to come, but Darryl Henderson's played really good football," McVay said. "We've got an opportunity, you know, leading up into that Sept. 12 date against the Bears to really say, 'OK, what can (Raymond) Calais do? What can Jake Funk do? What can Xavier Jones do? How do these guys really illustrate their skill sets on the practice field.'"

Rams fans have high expectations for the team as they prepare for what should be an exciting season.

The regular season begins at home versus the Chicago Bears on Sept. 12.