Sonny Jones
Larrell Murchison has a positive, upbeat personality. Spend any time with him and you’re sure to smile.
All that was put to the test for the 2016 graduate of East Bladen High School during his fifth National Football League season.
Murchison didn’t play a game for the Los Angeles Rams because of injuries. He watched as the Rams overcame a 1-4 start to reach the playoffs before losing to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia 28-22 in the divisional round.
“Last year was really tough,” said Murchison, who is in town for his fifth annual Community Day on Saturday, July 12 on the football field at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Murchison was injured Aug. 24 in the Rams’ final preseason game, a 17-15 loss to the Houston Texans. He was placed on injured reserve, which meant he had to miss the first four games of the regular season.
Los Angeles activated Murchison off injured reserve on Oct. 4. At his first practice back, he suffered a broken foot and went back on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
“Someone close to me told me that if you look at last year and feel like it was dark, then you’re never gonna be able to push forward,” Murchison said. “So, last year, maybe it was what I needed. Just to have more fun with it, not treat it like a job, but feel like we get to do this.”
Murchison is expected to report to the Rams’ training camp July 22, healthy and ready to compete for playing time.
“It’s amazing,” said Murchison, who was selected by Tennessee in the 2020 NFL draft and claimed by Los Angeles in December 2022 after being released by the Titans. “The Rams are definitely my favorite team that I’ve ever been on. Everybody’s close. It’s my third year there and I have a personal relationship with everybody in the building.
“We’re just ready to go out there and have some good old-fashioned football fun with my brothers and see how far we can take it,” Murchison said.
Murchison, a 6-foot-2, 285 pound defensive lineman, has played in 44 regular season games and two playoff games over four seasons for the Titans and Rams. He has been credited with 37 tackles, including five for loss, and two sacks, according to Pro Football Reference.
After an NFL season lost because of injuries, here’s hoping for Murchison to have a healthy and productive year with the Rams.
If anyone deserves a break – not of the foot nor any other bone – it’s Larrell Murchison. He’s truly one of the good guys who is proud to call Bladen County home.
Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].