Longtime Detroit Lions star Matthew Stafford remains one of the most feared and respected quarterbacks in the NFL, but he’s also now one of the oldest.
Stafford, 37, was the biggest name potentially on the trade block for a significant portion of the offseason until he and the Los Angeles Rams agreed in March on a restructured contract that pays him $84 million over the next two years, after which he will become a free agent.
Most around the league lauded the decision on both sides. However, back issues have since derailed Stafford’s preseason and called into question his readiness for Week 1 and potentially beyond. That would be a drastically disappointing outcome for the Rams, who passed on selecting a signal caller back in April despite several draft analysts pinpointing them as a team potentially in the market for one.
Losing Stafford for any period of time would result in the Rams turning either to Jimmy Garoppolo or Stetson Bennett IV, presumably damaging significantly the hope of repeating as division champions in an improved and likely competitive NFC West in 2025.
That said, Los Angeles fans got some good news on Tuesday, August 5, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Rams are confident that Stafford’s health will hold up.
“My understanding is it’s a total maintenance issue,” Schefter said, per Bleacher Report. “They don’t want to put any wear and tear on his body. He knows how the game works, he knows how the offense functions, he knows how his teammates think and operate. So they are intentionally keeping him out in interest of maintenance, self-preservation and just wise caution.”
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay Offered Ambiguous Update on Matthew Stafford’s Health Over Weekend
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.
Rams head coach Sean McVay wasn’t as clear in his most recent conversation with media members as to Stafford’s back soreness, which likely played a role as a catalyst in some of the moderate panic that ensued.
“Week-to-week,” McVay said of Stafford’s status on August 3, per Pro Football Talk. “I wish I could help you out more with that.”
The Rams play their first preseason game against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, August 9. The team’s first regular-season contest is a home showdown against the Houston Texans on Sunday, September 7.
Matthew Stafford Ranked 6th-Best QB in NFL Heading Into 2025 Season
GettyQuarterback Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.
Stafford led the Rams not only to the division title and the playoffs last season, but past the Minnesota Vikings in Round 1 and to a narrow loss to the Philadelphia Eagles during the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl, and the Rams were the only opponent that came close to defeating them during the postseason.
That, combined with the 3,762 passing yards, 20 TDs and eight INTs Stafford accumulated in 16 starters in 2024, have him as ESPN’s No. 6 rated quarterback in the entire NFL heading into the upcoming campaign.
“Only a few quarterbacks command the position like he does. Players come and go in Los Angeles, but Stafford makes it all work, a truly scheme-transcendent quarterback,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote July 14. “Stafford seems to manage injuries every year but plays through them … while winning games. The Rams last year became the first team in NFL history to make consecutive playoff appearances after having been three games under .500 earlier in those seasons.”
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