The Los Angeles Rams will open their preseason slate against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, and while head coach Sean McVay has difficult roster decisions ahead, there’s already been a roster shakeup in the broadcast booth.
On Thursday, the Rams announced that Jourdan Rodrigue and Rob Havenstein will join J.B. Long in the booth for the preseason. The Rams’ preseason games will air on CBS LA, according to the official release, and CBS LA anchor Darren Haynes will serve as the sideline reporter.
Rodrigue is a senior NFL reporter for The Athletic, while Havenstein retired from the NFL this February. Havenstein spent his entire NFL career as a Rams offensive tackle, winning Super Bowl LVI.
A great broadcast crew for Rams preseason games this year. Can’t wait to see @JB_Long, @JourdanRodrigue, Rob Havenstein and @DarrenMHaynes do their thing. pic.twitter.com/aqyVg37XPV
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 13, 2026
McVay shouted out Havenstein “moving on,” and said that “it’ll be cool to listen” to Havenstein’s color commentary while speaking with reporters on Thursday.
The most notable absence is ESPN’s Mina Kimes, who served as an analyst on Rams’ preseason broadcasts for years. Former NFL star running back Maurice Jones-Drew has also been bumped from the booth, but he can still be found on ESPNLA 710’s radio broadcast of the games.
And of course, the radio crew as well. Should really learn how to scroll and read all the way through pic.twitter.com/Cx51vkthwC
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 13, 2026
Rodrigue will provide a fascinating, well-informed perspective, as she previously covered the Rams beat for The Athletic before getting promoted. She spent extensive time with McVay while reporting on her renowned “The Playcallers” series a few years ago. She also has a magnetic presence in front of a camera and microphone, particularly on NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal.
After the Chiefs, Los Angeles will host the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 22 and visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 27. Then, on Sept. 10, the Rams will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, for their 2026 NFL regular-season opener.
About Megan Armstrong
Since first getting published as a student by the Kansas City Star in 2013, Megan Armstrong has gone wherever curiosity and stories have taken her, specializing in sports, media, music, and culture coverage. She also has an extensive background in interviewing and profiling public figures. Her work has appeared in Billboard, Boardroom, Bleacher Report, Esquire, GQ, GRAMMY.com, NYLON, Newsweek, Teen Vogue, The Hollywood Reporter, UPROXX, and elsewhere.