The Rams put wide receiver Stedman Bailey on their non-football injury list last month, indicating that his hopes of returning to the field after getting shot in the head last year weren’t going to be realized in 2016.
By placing him on the NFI list, the Rams could keep Bailey around the team even though he couldn’t play and coach Jeff Fisher said he hoped Bailey would help out with the coaching staff. Bailey will be moving into a coaching role, but it won’t be with the Rams.
West Virginia University coach Dana Holgorson announced Sunday that Bailey will be a student assistant at the school he attended for three years before being drafted by the Rams. Bailey will enroll in classes that enable him to finish his degree and said in a statement that going back to Morgantown will also give him more time to heal from his injuries.
“First of all, I would like to thank the Los Angeles Rams organization, my teammates, coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Les Snead and the ownership for the way they have taken care of me and my family since they drafted me. They’re a first-class organization and made me feel like part of the family, especially during the past few months, which have been a tough time,” Bailey said. “Moving forward, I would like to thank West Virginia University, especially coach Dana Holgorsen and athletic director Shane Lyons for making this opportunity available. Even though my playing career isn’t over yet, this gives me more time to heal so I can make a return. However, It is important to me to finish my degree. I loved my time as a Mountaineer football player and I look forward to working with coach Holgorsen and the Mountaineer football program.”
Fisher said the Rams “couldn’t be happier” about Bailey’s new direction and Snead congratulated Bailey on finding a way “to be even more productive during this year of rehabilitation.”