The Los Angeles Rams qualifying hopes may rest on the right arm of a non-NFL player.
In a 20–9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Rams midfielder Jared Gove suffered a thumb injury to his right hand. The game’s broadcast cameras caught Juve as he appeared to be putting his thumb back in place. ESPN reported Monday that Goff had undergone surgery and likely will not play this week. NFL said it hopes to return to the playoffs, if the Rams make it through.
That leaves a reserve John Wolford, a second-year passerby with experience in the now defunct American Football Alliance as the expected midfielder for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
If the Rams beat the Cardinals at the end, they will snatch a berth for post-season. Los Angeles can also enter if the Chicago Bears lose to the Green Bay Packers.
But who exactly is Wolford? Here’s a look at four facts about the 25-year-old Elmar, who stands at 6 feet tall.
Exposure from time at AAF
Unable to secure a permanent job in the NFL after the 2018 season, Wolford signed with Arizona Hot Shots at AAF in the spring of 2019.
Originally it was an afterthought on the Hotshots roster after the team used their first draft pick in a quarterback over former Oklahoma star Trevor Knight, wolford beat Knight at first. At the time, Wolford compared her to previous tracks in his career, when he won the first job at Wake Forest as a freshman.
“I swear to God, it’s like a repetitive cycle,” Wulford He told Winston Salem magazine In February 2019. “The most important thing I learned in camp is to be able to be consistent. Just go out every day and do the right thing every time, and this is how you win jobs. So, I have some experience in that arena.”
He quickly became a league star and garnered immediate attention from local and national media, especially since his LinkedIn page was at the time. His job name is still listed As a private equity analyst.
In his time with the Hotshots, Wolford completed 130 of 206 passes for 1,617 yards, 14 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a QB rating of 95.9.
Track in the NFL
Wolford broke into the league as a freelance rookie agent in 2018, when the New York Jets signed him for a while in their training camp. He played the majority of shots at the end of pre-season, however The planes released him September 4 of that year reduced the team to 53 players on the roster. Then he went on to play for the Asian Football Confederation.
After his positive stint in the rookie league, Ramez signed with Wolfford in April 2019, spending the last season in the coaching team, with Blake Bortles serving as the substitute behind Juve.
This season, Wolford presented a roster of 53 players in Los Angeles and served as a substitute for Juve after playing cleanly in a pair of in-team brawls.
Coach Sean McVeigh said, “He’s done really well.” He said August 29 After one of those quarrels. “Since he gathered a number of actors, he becomes more comfortable with the attack, and then you see the ability to create outside of schedule. He has great sportsmanship. I think he’s decisive.
“I think he and Jared forge a great relationship with their comfort level of being able to bounce things off each other. But I was very happy with John. You want Jared to remain healthy, but if John has to play, I feel very happy with John.”
“Doug Flottie is kind of things.”
First, a warning.
This comparison came after an internal brawl on August 22, during which the midfielders were not allowed to be dealt, as the Rams ‘offense was played against the Rams’ defense due to concerns about COVID-19 transmissions that changed the NFL pre-season.
However, McVeigh was so impressed with Wolfford after the brawl that he compared him to former NFL midfielder Doug Flotti, who was famous for being a shorter midfield who could improvise when games were disrupted.
“You see it running” McVeigh said on August 22. “He’s got some Doug Flutety stuff as far as his break-in containment ability and the ability to do some games off schedule.”
For his part, Wolford said he tried to model his game on the model of Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson and Drew Breeze of New Orleans Saints, a couple of shorter passers-by.
“These are the people who are always trying to look at who’s the best in the game and looking for ways to improve the things they do well,” Said Wolford on August 29.
Records in Wake Forest
Wolford was a staple for four years with Demon Deacons, leaving an enormous imprint on the program.
He set school records in his first season for QB proficiency (157.98), passing yards (3,192), touchdown passes (29), and total touchdowns (39). His career total landing 78 is also a Wake Forest record.
He finished his run with 8,794 yards and 1120 accelerating yards in his run at Winston Salem. In fact, Wolford became the eighth player in ACC team history to go over 8,000 passing yards and 1,000 accelerating yards. By the time he left the show, he held three of the top five scores in the solo game for total attack.
Now, looking likely to get his first NFL shot, Wolford has the opportunity to back up what he said in August, having been impressed at those scuffles.
“I feel ready,” Said Wolford on August 29. “I’m confident in my abilities and confident in my ability to manage this attack. It’s something I’ve prepared all my life. I’ve played a lot of football in my life, from college to the AFC and I’m ready to go when that shot comes.”