The Los Angeles Rams joined the rash of teams around the league to open training camp on Tuesday, but they had an ominous undertone following head coach Sean McVay’s update on two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford and the Rams are entering their fifth season together, and injuries have been a persistent subplot.
That remains the case heading into 2025.
“Matthew’s feeling good. He had a little bit of soreness in his back that kind of crept up,” McVay told reporters on July 22. “He’s been throwing. Feeling good. It’s not anything that’s necessarily new; something that he’s dealt with before. Going into Year 17, we’re gonna take a modified approach with him. Kind of similar to what we did in the offseason program. And so, we’ll allow him to just work kind of off to the side on his own, get himself feeling as good as possible. And then, he’ll be ready for Block 2.
“He feels good about that. I feel good about that. And, ultimately, it’s about having him feel as good as possible, mentally, physically, emotionally, going into Year 17.”
Entering his 17th NFL season at age 37, McVay emphasized that Stafford’s missing reps is of less importance than getting him healthy and in the proper head space for the Rams to be successful, citing the veteran’s knowledge of self to report discomfort.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford Remains an Injury Concern
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on against the Minnesota Vikings during the NFC Wild Card Playoff.
Despite McVay downplaying Stafford’s issue, it stands as a potentially ominous precursor for a player who has dealt with injuries in the past.
He has been largely healthy during his Rams tenure, playing in at least 15 games in three of his previous four campaigns with the organization. However, Stafford appeared in nine games in 2022, getting placed on injured reserve with a spinal contusion after navigating an elbow injury.
Stafford led the Rams to 10 wins in 2024 and only missed Week 18 due to rest.
Any extended absence from Stafford could put the Rams in a bind, but McVay insisted LA’s QB1 will be in the mix for the second set of training camp practices.
Rams ‘Fortunate’ to Have Super Bowl Champion Matthew Stafford Backup Plan
GettyJimmy Garoppolo #11 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before a game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams were quick to re-sign Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, even as they insisted they wanted Stafford to return while letting him gauge his value on the open market.
McVay touted Garoppolo’s presence in light of Stafford’s injury.
“That’s where you do feel fortunate, having a guy like Jimmy that will step in a do a great job for the first few practices,” McVay told media members. “And then, Matthew will step in and be ready to roll.”
Garoppolo turns 34 in November and is entering his 12th season as an NFL quarterback. He has a 43-21 career record and was a member of two Super Bowl teams.
That is indeed a stronger position than most teams find themselves in entering the 2025 season.
However, the Rams would almost certainly take reduced Stafford than a full-capacity Garoppolo during the regular season, which underscores just how important it is that they get their starting quarterback healthy over more reps during training camp.
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