Rams’ Quentin Lake Follows Father’s NFL Legacy in Wild-Card Showdown

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Quentin Lake, the Los Angeles Rams‘ safety and newly elected team captain, will step onto the field Monday night for his second postseason game, carrying not only the weight of his team’s playoff hopes but also the legacy of his father, former NFL star Carnell Lake. The Rams face the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC wild-card playoffs at State Farm Stadium, a game relocated from Los Angeles due to wildfires in Southern California.

Lake, 25, was elected a team captain in his third NFL season, a milestone that brought pride to his father, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. “You’re only in your third year!” Carnell Lake told his son during an emotional phone call in August. “I didn’t get elected captain till I was 10 years in. Man, I’m proud of you.”

Quentin’s journey to the NFL was shaped by his father’s influence, though Carnell intentionally avoided pushing football on his son. “If you grow up enjoying it without feeling pressure, I think it’s going to be more about him,” Carnell said. Quentin, who played at UCLA like his father, credits their shared love for the game as their “love language.”

Rams head coach Sean McVay praised Quentin’s maturity and leadership, noting his “emotional intelligence” and ability to connect with teammates. “You definitely feel that pedigree based on the love that he has and that relationship that he has with his father,” McVay said.

Quentin’s versatility has been crucial for the Rams, who rebounded from a 1-4 start to secure a playoff berth. He played every defensive snap until the final week of the season, when starters were rested. Defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant described Quentin as a “stickler for the details” who leads by example both on and off the field.

Off the field, Quentin has been active in community projects, including the dedication of a football field at the Nickerson Gardens housing complex in Watts and volunteering at a construction site for military veterans in North Hollywood. “It’s being able to take a step back really from football and saying I’m a human first, how can I help other people,” he said.

Quentin wears jersey No. 37 in honor of his father, a number he considered changing after being drafted but ultimately kept. “I thought about changing it when I got drafted,” he said. “But you know what, 37 is just me.”

As the Rams prepare for their playoff game, Quentin hopes to surpass his father’s accomplishments by not only playing in a Super Bowl but also winning a ring as a team captain. “I’d come home and be like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got this,'” he said, shaking his ring finger. “That would be cool.”