Last season was supposed to be Tutu Atwell’s breakout year. After spending four seasons as a role player, Atwell was a major contributor while starters were injured and now he’s on the verge of his biggest opportunity yet.
The Los Angeles Rams committed him to a $10 million contract last offseason, all of which was fully guaranteed. Sean McVay has said time and time again that he wishes he could have had Atwell more involved, but nothing has changed.
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Not only is Atwell still limited in his role, but he also has his fewest snaps since his rookie year in 2021. He’s shooting just 27% on offensive snaps, compared to 40% in 2022, 64% in 2023 and 39% in 2024.
A hamstring injury caused him to miss five games, but even if he was eligible to return from injured reserve, the Rams chose not to activate him because they couldn’t make room for him on the roster. That’s telling, but it got worse in the playoffs, when he performed well in his final two games against the Bears and Seahawks.
During his final media session on Monday, McVay explained what led to Atwell’s extremely limited role. He attributed that to a few things: Los Angeles’ shift to 13 personnel, wide receiver depth and Atwell’s absence on IR.
“Well, I think the first thing is, our vision for the offense this season and then the organic development of it is very different — just based on the number of receivers that we’re playing in a lot of situations,” McVay said. “Part of our thought process when we signed last year was that we were still going to be part of the 11-man roster. You had him, Puka (Nakua) and Davante (Adams), and then, you know, the complementary players. And then unfortunately, he had some injuries. A few different things happened and, hey, when he missed that period, the game continued. And then, as we organically figured out the next iteration, where we tended to be with a lot of the 13 guys, that naturally took the receivers off the turf.”
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It was certainly a challenging season for Atwell, who finished with six catches for 192 yards and one touchdown. He has played more than 26 snaps in just one game all year and has never played more than 15 snaps since returning from IR in Week 15 — even with Davante Adams sidelined.
McVay appreciated the way Atwell handled a tough year in Los Angeles and shared that sentiment multiple times throughout the season. He hopes things can work out better because he enjoys the relationships he has developed with his young receivers.
“I love humans,” McVeigh said. “I think the more I do it, the more I build relationships – I know that’s not what you asked me, but that’s what means so much. He let me into his life. I love him.”
As much as McVay wishes things were different, he also has to do what’s best for the team, even if it means keeping a $10 million receiver on the sidelines.
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“I really wish I could have done better, but I still have a responsibility to do what I think is best for our football team,” he continued. “If you ask me right now what our offense or our defense or our kicking game is going to look like, we have a vision and in a lot of cases, they’re going to go according to plan. And then sometimes they organically adjust and adapt as the season unfolds. That’s what it took last year. I don’t want to make any excuses. That’s what it is.”
Atwell will be a free agent again this offseason, but after a terrible season, it’s hard to imagine the Rams giving him another chance. A team like the Cardinals, now coached by Mike LaFleur, could take a chance on Atwell and bet that if he takes a bigger role, he’ll be a playmaker.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ Sean McVay explains Tutu Atwell’s limited role in 2025
