The Los Angeles Rams acquired Bob Stein plus the 1973 second-…
The Los Angeles Rams acquired Bob Stein plus the 1973 second- and fourth-round picks used on Jim Youngblood and Eddie McMillan, sending Willie Ellison and Pete Beathard to Kansas City. Youngblood became a long-term Rams linebacker and Pro Bowl-level contributor, giving Los Angeles lasting value well beyond Kansas City's veteran return and making the Rams the clear winner.
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- player Willie Ellison
- player Pete Beathard
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Bob Stein
- pick 1973 second round pick (#42-Jim Youngblood)
- pick 1973 fourth round pick (#95-Eddie McMillan)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On January 29, 1973, Los Angeles sent Willie Ellison and Pete Beathard to Kansas City for Bob Stein and two choices in the 1973 draft. The picks became linebacker Jim Youngblood at No. 42 and defensive back Eddie McMillan at No. 95. Contemporary draft-trade records line up with the Rams-side package and remove the need to treat Willie Ellison as a different player alias.
Los Angeles Return
The centerpiece was Youngblood. He appeared in 156 NFL games, spent the overwhelming majority of his career with the Rams, and developed into a long-term starter. His 1979 season earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro recognition, and his Rams career included 14 interceptions. Bob Stein also appeared for the 1973 Rams, so Los Angeles received immediate roster help in addition to the premium long-term result created by the second-round pick. McMillan added another drafted asset to an already strong return.
Kansas City Return
The Chiefs received two established veterans, but neither matched the value created by Youngblood. Ellison and Beathard were recognizable NFL players, yet the trade came late in both careers and did not produce a comparable long-term Kansas City cornerstone. The central cost was not merely two outgoing roster pieces; it was surrendering a second-round selection that Los Angeles converted into a defender who remained useful for more than a decade.
Final Verdict
Los Angeles wins comfortably. A standard-tier trade should not be graded like a franchise-changing blockbuster, but the gap is still substantial because the Rams received both immediate help and the best long-term player produced by the exchange. An A- for Los Angeles and C for Kansas City captures that durable advantage without overstating the scale of the transaction.