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Former FSU star still isn’t happy about Rams loss to Eagles
Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) reacts after a play against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The end of the 2024 NFL season saw the Philadelphia Eagles deny the Kansas City Chiefs a historic threepeat with a 40-22 victory in Super Bowl LIX. We saw former Florida State star Jameis Winston upset the Packers in Week 18, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and plenty of other storylines to keep fans hungry ahead of the 2025 season.

Another storyline that had FSU fans excited was the emergence of Rams defensive end Jared Verse, who exploded onto the scene during his time in Tallahassee, FL.

He would go on to win the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award after leading all rookies in quarterback hits (18), hurries (56), and pressures (77). He added 66 total tackles, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 16 games, so it is safe to say that 2024 wasn't a bad start for the rookie.

Still, there is one game that the young edge rusher out of Dayton, Ohio, isn't satisfied with from last year, and that is the Rams' 28-22 loss to the Eagles in the 2024 NFC Divisional Round. Verse recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and said that he still thinks about that game "every" day.

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“It crosses my mind about three times a day," Verse said. " I think about how if I did this, or I did that; if Saquon’s big run to the opposite of the field, if I didn’t hesitate off the bat, I could have caught him. Or if he was on my side of the field, if I didn't overlap one gap more, just stayed in my gap, he wouldn't have had the second one."

The Eagles' running back had two game-changing runs during that matchup of 78 and 62 yards, while quarterback Jalen Hurts had a 44-yard scoring rush. Although Verse finished the game with two sacks and two tackles for loss, he still thinks that he could've been better.

"I coulda been better, and it just be upsetting me every day. We coulda won that one."

Despite a dominant rookie campaign and a trophy to show for it, Jared Verse isn’t resting on accolades. That Divisional Round loss still lingers, adding fuel to the fire of a rising star who’s already proven he belongs. If 2025 follows 2024, the NFL will have been put on notice for a second time. 

This article first appeared on Florida State Seminoles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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