Trent McDuffie Opens Up On Surprise Trade To Rams

"The whole time, they're telling us we're going to get it done," McDuffie said on the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast. "So I'm like, OK, I'm going to chill this offseason. They're probably going to drag this out. I'm going to book a trip. We'll get it done eventually; I'm cool. Just sitting back."

"Then the combine came, and my agent started talking to them. Whispers started happening, like, I don't know if they're going to bring you back. This and that. Then two days after the combine ends, I'm training, and my Apple Watch goes ding, ding, ding. What is going on, bro?"

Confused about why his phone was blowing up, McDuffie put it on Do Not Disturb to finish his workout — before his fiancée interrupted his training session to break the news.

The Los Angeles Rams had acquired him in a blockbuster trade for four draft picks, including a 2026 first-round selection. McDuffie was stunned and needed a moment to process it; there had been no conversation with the Chiefs, not even a heads-up.

Moments later, the shock gave way to excitement as he realized he was headed home to California to join an elite organization built around head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead. The Rams had a roster that needed only a cornerback upgrade, and McDuffie was that missing piece.

"Honestly, this team is so fun," he said. "They're young, they're hungry. You can tell there's just this attention to wanting to get better. The way McVay runs his program, I've seen it really work. These guys believe; they're bought in.

"I feel like I've got my spirit back — that swagger they talked about. I'm in LA, I'm with guys that make this fun. I can't wait for the season."

Following the trade, the Rams signed McDuffie to a four-year extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

McDuffie and the Rams will open the season Sept. 10 against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, the NFL's first regular-season game in the country.