Weeks after stringing together some impressive playoff performances for the Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford’s future with the team is up in the air. Whispers of his retirement have circulated in the NFL, but even if he does return for next season, there are rumblings that he may change teams.
Will Matthew Stafford Play for the Rams in 2025?
“I don’t think Stafford’s retiring, but I think there’s a chance he might wear another uniform in the near future, based on what the tea leaves are saying,” NFL Network’s Peter Schrager told PFSN.
This season marked a down year for Stafford, who was the 22nd-best quarterback in the league, according to PFN’s QB+ metric. However, he still supported the 11th-best offense in the league by PFN’s Offense+ metric.
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 before taking it the distance against the NFC representatives in Super Bowl 59, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The feelings between the quarterback and the organization might be mutual after Kelly Stafford, Matthew Stafford’s wife, voiced her opinions on her podcast “The Morning After.”
In her statement, she mentioned, “My husband, like, wants to win. He’s not trying to put a team in a bad situation. If you’re catching my drift, you’re catching my drift.”
Between her comments and the Rams’ recent decision to seek a trade for Stafford’s well-documented BFF and favorite target, Cooper Kupp, a Stafford-less 2025 Rams team does not seem so far-fetched.
One Potential Successor for Stafford
While a number of replacements will be mentioned in the coming weeks, one surprising name may be tossed around inside the Rams’ organization as a potential replacement for Stafford.
“As for the Rams, I’ll tell you what, I know it sounds crazy now, but Jimmy Garoppolo is pretty well-liked there this season,” said Schrager. “I know that he’s not necessarily got the career that Stafford has, but he had a nice little season this year for them, so I think he’d be the first option before they look to blow it up and go somewhere totally different and young.”
Next year would be Garoppolo’s 12th NFL season, following stints in New England, San Francisco, and Las Vegas before landing in Los Angeles in 2024.
This past season with the Rams, Garoppolo started one game and he threw for 334 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
The journeyman quarterback would look to return to his form from his days in San Francisco, where he helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl 54 after a 13-3 season in which he threw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns.