One of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation might be close to calling it quits. Matthew Stafford has been a staple of the NFL for well over a decade. Whether it was with the Detroit Lions or with the Los Angeles Rams, Stafford has excelled in every situation.
Nonetheless, at 36 (and soon-to-be 37), it looks like his time in the league is winding down. When speaking to reporters after the game, it looks like the Super Bowl-winning QB isn’t completely sure about his plans, either.
Matthew Stafford’s Time Coming to an End in LA?
After 11 seasons with the Lions, Stafford came over to the Rams in a trade involving Jared Goff. In the four years since, it has been a remarkable success for both quarterback and franchise, with their crowning achievement coming in a Super Bowl victory in 2022.
And, even after back-to-back playoff heartbreaks, it looks like Stafford has all the love in the world for the Rams organization.
“I’ll talk about my present,” Stafford said on Sunday after the game. “Obviously, proud to be associated with this group, coaching staff, front office, group of players, training staff, equipment guys, and everybody. It was a hell of an effort all year to get to this point.
Matthew Stafford could have just played his last game with the Rams. He says he still has some football in him as he talks about the team’s comeback falling short in their 28-22 loss to the Eagles pic.twitter.com/faqWuEw9oc
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) January 19, 2025
“Anytime, you play like this and get into the playoffs and get a win to keep it moving, anytime you come up short it’s even tougher. That’s difficult, but proud to be associated with this group.”
The Rams began the season 1-4 before a 10-2 end to the season lifted them into the playoffs. In the Wild Card round, they handily took care of the Minnesota Vikings with Stafford delivering a vintage performance.209 yards on just 19 completions, along with two touchdowns was enough for the Rams to dominate 27-9.
Against the Philadelphia Eagles, he too was sensational, dropping 324 yards and two touchdowns.
However, a furious fourth-quarter rally was not enough to finish their comeback and they fell 28-22. When asked about what the future might hold for him, the veteran QB did not give a straight answer.
“As far as my future goes, I mean it’s 30 minutes after our last game, so I’ll take some time to think about it. I feel like I was playing some really good ball.”
But, it feels safe to assume that retirements aren’t in his plans. He did respond with, “It sure feels like it,” when asked if he had some football left in him. Judging by his responses, and rumors floating around, it is a very real possibility that the next phase of his football career takes place outside the City of Angels.
Before the playoffs began, ESPN senior NFL insider Jeremy Fowler confessed that Stafford returning to LA wasn’t a guarantee.
“I don’t think so. They have set the stage for a potential divorce. I was in the Rams camp and I remember kind of just asking around. And it was like, ‘We want to give Matthew Stafford the sort of freedom to do what he wants.’
LOADED This is Football Friday with @JFowlerESPN. Coaching hot seat/search updates and QB movement.
Cousins to Cleveland?
Is Stafford set up to leave LA?Jeremy had a lot of info in this episode. Watch: pic.twitter.com/3b4ouJ36SN
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) December 27, 2024
“He may want to retire at the end of the year. I don’t think that’s been spelled out. He’s playing too well to want to retire, I would think, and it’s not like he’s 43. But the stage was set. They did something to his contract where they can both get out of it with minimal issues. It’s interesting. I left camp, and they’re saying, ‘This might be a one-and-done for Matthew Stafford.’”
It might be difficult for Stafford to find a better situation than the one he currently has in LA. The Rams are always hovering around contender status, thanks to an electric offense led by Stafford, a bevy of skill-position guys, and Sean McVay’s pragmatism.
This year, in a very down year as the 22nd-best quarterback in the league, according to PFN’s QB+ metric, Stafford was still able to support the 11th-best offense in the league by PFN’s Offense+ metric.
