Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay ran afoul of the NFL's mask protocols during Sunday's game. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Sean McVay: NFL memo about wearing masks 'directed at me'

The first week of NFL football is officially behind us, and while it mostly went off without a hitch, there were still a few COVID-related issues the league will need to work out, most noticeably coaches not wearing their masks on the sideline during games. 

To make sure this does not become a recurring problem, the NFL released a memo reminded coaches that they must wear their masks at all times during games and threatened to punish anyone who does not comply. The memo did not name any coaches specifically, but Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said he was pretty sure he was the target audience.

"I figured that memo was directed at me," McVay told reporters.

During the Rams' win over the Dallas Cowboys, McVay could be seen wearing the mask below his chin for the majority of the game. This is a clear violation of league protocol, which states that anyone with bench-area access, excluding players, needs to wear a mask that fits over their nose and mouth. 

The fourth-year head coach joked that he had been getting "blasted all day about it," but made it clear that he would make sure this was not a problem moving forward.

"I was definitely one of the main culprits of not following what the league wants," McVay said. "I will definitely be aware of that and do better."

McVay said he's not sure if he will wear a standard mask or try wearing a neck gaiter for the Rams' Week 2 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

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