National Football League

Rams star Todd Gurley is getting recognized in Los Angeles, but not for football

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:30 p.m. ET

Aaron Torres

It’s no secret that the whole concept of ‘professional football’ is relatively new to the city of Los Angeles. Unlike the Lakers, Dodgers or Kings, the Rams aren’t yet a staple of Los Angeles, and because of it, their star players are still relatively unknown. They will become more popular as time goes on, but right now, they’re all basically nameless and faceless across Los Angeles.

And if there was ever a doubt, we learned that the hard way courtesy of Todd Gurley on Tuesday. Sure, Gurley was named a Pro Bowler as a rookie after rushing for over 1,000 yards, but to the folks of LA, he’s something else altogether: That dude from the Carls Jr. hamburger commercial.

Here’s what Gurley said Tuesday, when asked if he is yet recognized around town in Los Angeles.

“Nah, not really. Nobody really knows football players. I mean, I have gotten a lot of questions be like, ‘Oh, you’re the guy from the burger commercial.’ I guess that’s my name now. The guy from the burger commercial.”

(And in case you’re wondering --- and don’t live in Los Angeles --- here’s the commercial he referenced, starring none other than Jay Mohr)

So yeah, that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for Gurley, but let me defend Rams fans here for a second. First of all, Gurley is still a young player, on a team which was basically completely non-descript last year. Sure, nobody in Los Angeles knows him, but chances are, unless you’re a diehard Rams fan, or diehard SEC football fan (where Gurley starred at Georgia for three years) you probably wouldn’t recognize him either. Actually, chances are pretty good that nobody knows what anybody on the Rams looks like (seriously, could you pick Aaron Donald on a lineup? Or Jared Goff?)

Point being, give Gurley and Rams fans time. If he has a couple seasons like he did last year, there will be plenty of people in Los Angeles who recognize him.

And not for starring in a second-rate burger commercial with Jay Mohr.