Rams-Chiefs trade sent Trent McDuffie on emotional roller coaster

Trent McDuffie tried to silence the news that would change his career.

Two days after the NFL scouting combine, McDuffie was training when his Apple Watch began firing alerts. Assuming a group chat had become unusually active, he switched on “do not disturb” and attempted to finish his workout.

Then his fiancée and mother walked into the facility.

“I’m like, ‘Why are y’all here?’” McDuffie recalled on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast.

McDuffie soon learned the Kansas City Chiefs had traded him to the Los Angeles Rams. The news had broken before his agent could get a hold of him, turning what should have been a private career-altering conversation into a stream of notifications.

“The world stopped for a second,” McDuffie said. “I was like, let me get my bearings. What just happened?”

The trade blindsided him because Kansas City had spent the previous season assuring his representatives that an extension would eventually be completed. McDuffie expected negotiations to drag into the offseason, but he never seriously anticipated leaving.

Whispers about an uncertain future emerged around the combine. Days later, he was gone without a direct conversation with the Chiefs.

“A little part of me was just like, ‘Damn, bro, what’s up with that?’” McDuffie said. “You didn’t let me know anything. I didn’t have any conversation about nothing. It was just like, ‘Bye,’ pretty much.”

Shock gave way to anger. The destination then produced another dramatic swing.

“I found out it was L.A., and I was like, ‘Oh, I made it,’” McDuffie said.

Los Angeles represented a homecoming for the Southern California native, who attended St. John Bosco High School after growing up in Westminster. It also provided immediate professional familiarity.

Rams defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake coached McDuffie at Washington. Conversations with Lake and head coach Sean McVay helped him process the trade and redirect his attention toward what awaited him.

“I can’t hold on to the past,” McDuffie said. “This happened. It happened. Let’s just move on as fast as I can.”

McDuffie quickly found reasons to embrace the transition. He described the Rams as young, hungry and fully invested in McVay’s program.

“Honestly, this team is so fun,” McDuffie said. “You can just tell there’s this attention to wanting to get better.”

The Rams’ emphasis on recovery has also helped McDuffie adjust. He noted that players receive time to restore their bodies and minds during demanding camp days. The secondary has used those periods to play cards and build relationships away from practice.

“I think a very big aspect of being a great team is knowing who you’re playing with,” McDuffie said. “We’re genuinely spending time with each other, which to me is special, especially being new here.”

The Rams subsequently gave McDuffie the long-term extension he expected to sign in Kansas City. They also placed him in a defense loaded with championship ambitions and familiar faces.

What began with an ignored Apple Watch, an unexpected family visit and a cold NFL goodbye ultimately delivered McDuffie home.

“I feel like I got that spirit back, that swagger back,” he said. “I’m in LA I’m with guys who make this fun. I can’t wait for the season.”

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