In discerning which figures in Los Angeles Rams (or St. Louis) lore hold the biggest influence, it’s important to separate sentiment from logic. Sometimes the most influential figures aren’t the ones held in the highest regard but their impact is still felt. The Los Angels Rams history is very complicated given their nomadic history. Distilling the figures that caused the glory and heartaches is tough but this is the best shot. If this were a ranking of the greatest Rams it’d be a lot easier. But here are the four most influential figures in the history of the Rams.
Mount Rushmore: The Most Impactful People In Lost Angeles Rams History
Homer Marshman
Despite only owning the team for two years, Marshman gets a spot because without him there’s no team. They began in Cleveland and played in the American Football League for a year. He would later sell the team and not only would he be responsible for the Rams leaving Cleveland but he would also facilitate the Browns moving to Baltimore. His name won’t be greeted favorably in Cleveland sports lore but without him, the Los Angeles Rams don’t exist.
Eric Dickerson
Probably the most beloved Rams figure of all time. He remains the symbolic figure of the franchises’ LA glory days. He is the eighth leading rusher of all time. Also, he still holds the rookie rushing record and remains active in the media. Eric Dickerson is still an active booster in the Rams community.
Dickerson made his influence known when Jeff Fisher barred him from practices following Dickerson being critical of Fisher. This lead to the final nail in the Jeff Fisher coffin as he lost someone that has more sway than he did. He even provided council to Todd Gurley once the team made the move back to LA.
Georgia Frontiere
This is a controversial one but it needs to be said. Los Angeles fans despised her because she was the figure instrumental in the move to St. Louis. The St. Louis stretch is probably the most successful period in the franchise given they went to two Super Bowls, winning one. She’s a trailblazer in that she was the second female owner in league history and the most active.
It’s understandable that the Los Angeles wing of Rams fandom detests her. However, she did shepherd “The Greatest Show on Turf” and while it occurred outside of LA, fans wouldn’t trade those years for the world.
Mike Martz
Like Frontiere, Martz has a complicated relationship with the Rams.
He was the architect of the “Greatest Show on Turf” offense that revolutionized the league. There hadn’t been an offense quite like it and it was a big part of the league being in the place that it is now.
He won a ring as a coordinator and was the heir to the throne once Dick Vermeil retired. The problem was that he didn’t quite succeed as a head coach. They made it to another Super Bowl but his fighting with the front office eventually eroded the team. His stops in Detroit, San Francisco, and Chicago were never as fruitful. Furthermore, he took shots at Sean McVay last season after McVay’s offense became the toast of the town. Still, Martz was an innovator and turned Kurt Warner into a Hall of Famer and made Marc Bulger a Pro-Bowler.
Dickerson aside, this list isn’t likely to engender the most love but their influence can’t be denied. The Rams’ history is fraught and as such so is this list.