It is hard to fault Matthew Stafford for his response concerning plans for his 18th NFL season in 2026. The 37-year-old MVP frontrunner fielded questions just moments after the Los Angeles Rams lost, 31-27, to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. Stafford, who threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, is signed through the 2026 season.
“I can’t generalize six months of my life 10 minutes after a loss,” Stafford said. “So I appreciate the guys in this locker room a whole hell of a lot. Everybody that helped me and helped our team be the success that we were this year. And that’s all I’ll answer for you.”
Rams coach Sean McVay snapped at a reporter when asked if he expected Stafford back. Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46) this season, establishing a career-best campaign.
“Yeah, if he still wants to play,” McVay said. “The hell kind of question is that?”
McVay won a Super Bowl with Stafford back in 2021 as coach of the Rams.
“We’ve been totally present,” McVay said. “I know that if he wants to, he’s still playing at a pretty damn good clip. I mean, he’s the MVP of the league and if he’s not … I got respect for everybody else, but this guy played at a level that’s just different.”
Stafford’s three touchdown passes against the Seahawks tied a personal high in the postseason, one he matched two weeks ago in a wild-card round win at Carolina.
“[He’s] one of the best quarterbacks to ever play this game and one of the coolest teammates that I’ve ever had,” receiver Davante Adams said. “And I know I use that term a lot with him, but just truly, I don’t know if I’ve ever played with somebody who’s a baller and just such an easy guy to function with.
“… So just being able to spend time with him this year, get to know him a little bit more than just across the NFC North, I value that a lot.”
Stafford’s quarterback rating of 109.2 eclipsed his previous high of 106.0 (2019 with Detroit) and he recently moved ahead of Dan Marino for seventh place on the NFL’s career touchdown passes list. Over 20 total starts, including the playoffs, Stafford finished with 5,643 yards passing, 52 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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