Former NFL quarterback Bob Lee died Aug. 17 in San Francisco, the University of Pacific announced in a news release. Lee was 81.
The Vikings selected Lee in the 17th round of the 1968 draft, and he spent most of his career in Minnesota over two stints. He played for the Falcons from 1973-74 and with the Rams from 1979-80.
He won an NFL championship as a rookie with the Vikings in 1969.
Lee was primarily a backup in the NFL but started 30 games, including 10 with the Falcons in 1973. He finished with a 19-11 record as a starter and appeared in 77 games.
Lee threw for 5,034 yards, with 30 touchdowns and 40 interceptions.
After retirement, Lee served as director of athletics at Pacific from 1991-96. He is credited with his efforts to build and expand several of Pacific’s athletic facilities.
Lee lettered two seasons at Pacific from 1966-67, playing both quarterback and kicker, and was named the Team MVP as a senior. He also played two seasons at Arizona State before transferring to Pacific.
He is survived by his wife, Janice, his children Matt, Jenna and Zac, and six grandchildren.
Rams Clips
Ty Simpson started at quarterback for the Rams on Thursday night and Stetson Bennett did not play, but head coach Sean McVay said after the game that those decisions had nothing to do with which of them will be the No. 2 quarterback to start the regular season.
McVay said the call was made as part of the process of “continuing to get [Simpson] experience” heading into his rookie season and that the team isn’t ready to name either player as the primary backup to Matthew Stafford.
“Obviously, we’ve got the reigning MVP of the league, and then we got two guys that we feel really good about,” McVay said, via the team’s website. “And if you say, ‘hey, what does that really mean?’ That’s what it means. We feel really good about those two guys. Not pigeon-holing myself into any sort of decision other than I feel really good about Stetson Bennett, feel really good about Ty Simpson.”
The Rams play their opener against the 49ers in Australia in two weeks, so a decision will be coming in the near future.
The Rams brought wide receiver Tutu Atwell back to the team in a trade with the Dolphins on Thursday and the timing of the deal led to questions about another member of the team’s receiving corps.
Puka Nacua was sued by a woman who accused him of biting her and making an antisemetic remark, which opened up the possibility of the league taking disciplinary action against him. After Thursday night’s preseason game, McVay was asked if the Atwell trade was made to protect against a possible suspension.
“It had nothing to do with that,” McVay said. “It was exclusively a guy we were familiar with . . . We’re familiar with Tutu. He adds depth. It gives us an opportunity to be able to have that speed element, and he can do some different things. It had nothing to do with anything other than just adding depth to the receiver room.”
While Atwell might help if the team is without Nacua for any portion of the season, the Rams had a need for receiver depth beyond that scenario and Atwell offered a way to get it without bringing in a player who has no familiarity with the system in Los Angeles. That familiarity didn’t lead to Atwell having a major impact in his first stint with the Rams, but he’ll get another chance to do that this fall.
The Rams still don’t know whether Aaron Donald will be on their team this season.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said after Thursday night’s preseason finale that he can’t answer anything about whether adding Donald to the roster would be a quick process, whether there will be issues with his contract, or anything else, because he simply doesn’t know what Donald’s decision will be.
“I think all of those things are up in the air,” McVay said. “I wish I had a little bit better ability to give you some clarity, but it’s really one of those deals that, what we’re doing we’re focusing on this football team. Aaron knows that if he wants to be able to do that, that’s something that we absolutely want to be able to entertain and figure out, and that’s really all there is to it right now.”
The 35-year-old Donald, one of the greatest defensive linemen in NFL history, retired after the 2023 season. This offseason, he has worked out with the Rams and given strong signals that he is considering a comeback, but until he tells the Rams he’s playing, they’re in a holding pattern. The Rams’ regular season opener is less than two weeks away, on September 10 in Australia against the 49ers.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has made clear this offseason that he doesn’t think his team benefits from opening the season in Australia. He made that point again after Thursday night’s preseason finale.
The 49ers-Rams game on Thursday, September 10, is a designated Rams home game, but Shanahan says the 49ers’ fan base always turns out so well in Los Angeles that they view that as a home game, and he’d take that over an extremely long road trip to Australia.
“I wish we played them here, for what we usually look at as a home game, but we’ll see how it is in Australia,” Shanahan said. “We’ll play the Rams wherever. Going there, it is what it is, but it’s going to be a fun atmosphere and always when we play the Rams it’s a big, tough game, so, looking forward to it.”
Rams coach Sean McVay also said after his team’s preseason finale on Thursday night that the schedule is a challenge, but he said that’s just how the NFL scheduled his team this season.
“It’s a little bit different, but we’ll have a unique schedule in general, just based on, it seems like we play every day of the week this year,” McVay said. “So that won’t be an excuse.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said this week that he wanted to see his starters play six to nine plays of “crisp and clean” football in Thursday’s final preseason game. It’s a good thing he added, “It’s never perfect, but you want to see that level of crispness and execution. That’s what you want to see the most.”
He will like one of Justin Herbert’s two drives.
The starting quarterback played only three plays last week against the 49ers, and the Chargers went three-and-out as Herbert went 1-of-2 for 9 yards. He opened Thursday’s game against the Rams with a lost fumble on the second play as the ball slipped out of his hands.
Herbert stayed in for one more series, which was only two plays, as he connected with Quentin Johnston for a 65-yard touchdown.
Herbert’s final numbers were 2-of-3 for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Trey Lance replaced Herbert on the first play of the second quarter.
Wide receiver Tutu Atwell is heading back to Los Angeles.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Dolphins have agreed to trade Atwell to the Rams. Atwell was a 2021 second-round pick of the NFC West club and he spent the last five seasons playing for head coach Sean McVay.
The Rams will send running back Jarquez Hunter to Miami in exchange for Atwell.
Atwell caught 105 passes for 1,535 yards and five touchdowns during his first stint with the Rams. He will join Davante Adams, Puka Nakua, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, and sixth-round pick CJ Daniels as options in the passing game for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Hunter was a 2025 fourth-round pick and played five games on special teams during his rookie season.
49ers wide receiver Mike Evans did not practice on Tuesday due to a groin injury. He has not practiced much in training camp because of nagging injuries, including a quad strain early in camp.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that the 49ers expect to get Evans back at practice next week.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that Evans expects to be ready for Week 1, when the 49ers travel to Melbourne, Australia, to face the Rams. Fowler called the injury “minor.”
Defensive end Nick Bosa (knee tendinitis), wide receiver Jacob Cowing (groin) and cornerback Upton Stout (hip flexor) are also expected to return to practice next week. Offensive lineman Robert Jones (calf), offensive lineman Austen Pleasants (knee) and quarterback Kurtis Rourke (ribs) could be close to coming back, too.
Tight end George Kittle could see his workload increase with some team drills next week. He has only participated in warmups and individual drills thus far as he works his way back from Achilles surgery.
The Rams open the season in 16 days, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald still has not reached a decision about his return.
Will he or won’t he?
Time is running out.
Coach Sean McVay, who has said he didn’t want to place a deadline on Donald, said the team has plans for a final 53-player roster with Donald and one without Donald.
“If he decides he wants to be able to do it, then the next conversations are: What is your ramp-up?” McVay said Tuesday, via Benjamin Royer of the ocregister.com. “What does it look like to approach whenever that would be the first time that we think we make the most sense for him to impact and make a positive change with us?
“We’ve had to have a lot of fluidity and flexibility, and that’s what I’ve had to learn over 10 years. But I think what’s good is the thing that has served us well – and it’s really the truth – is let’s just stay one day at a time.”
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year began considering a comeback after the Rams traded for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Donald has not played in the NFL since 2023.
Rams pass rusher Myles Garrett remained out of practice Tuesday, the 12th practice he has missed with minor knee swelling.
Yet, Rams coach Sean McVay continues to downplay the two-time Defensive Player of the Year’s absence.
“The goal is, what can we do to be able to get him ready to roll for Australia?” McVay said, via Benjamin Royer of the ocregister.com.
Garrett played all 17 games each of the past two seasons with the Browns, and he has missed only four games over the past six seasons.
Garrett, who the Rams acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade with the Browns, set the NFL’s single-season sacks record with 23 last season. He has 125.5 sacks in his nine NFL seasons.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua (hip flexor) and offensive lineman Keagen Trost (hamstring) also did not practice on Tuesday.
Tight end Terrance Ferguson worked on the side with an athletic trainer, and offensive lineman Alaric Jackson missed practice for a personal matter that McVay said is “nothing to worry about.”
