While it is not easy to watch a star athlete go through the blues after a loss, the Los Angeles Rams fans could possibly take heart from the state Matthew Stafford has been in since their playoff exit. Even while vacationing in Cabo, the QB is “sad” he is not playing the Super Bowl, his wife Kelly has revealed. Is the sadness he is enduring a sign solid enough to douse speculation that this season was Matthew’s last in the NFL?
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Stafford finished his 16th year in the league and doesn’t look like the player he once was. The Rams could choose to opt out of Stafford’s upcoming contract. They would save $27 million if they traded him post-June. They would also save $23 million if they straight-up cut him. $50 million is a massive cap hit for a team to retain a 36-year-old QB.
But Matthew had successfully renegotiated his contract last offseason, giving up all his guaranteed payments for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, making it essentially a one-year, $40 million contract. He could potentially manage to strike a similar deal again. As things stand, and the way Kelly explained how her husband is hurting, it doesn’t feel like money is an issue for him. He seems more concerned about capturing a second Lombardi to seal his legacy with a final flourish.
On the latest episode of The Morning After, Kelly revealed Stafford has taken the Divisional Round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles pretty hard. So much so that he can no longer watch the remaining playoff games including the Super Bowl. Signs seem to indicate that he is mentally preparing himself to play in 2025.
“The first part of our offseason is always sad and exciting at the same time. He’s sad that he’s not playing anymore, football is hard to watch for him. But at the same time, it is nice to reconnect in a way that we don’t during the season,” added Kelly.
Stafford is possibly rueing the missed opportunity. The Rams had a great chance to knock off the favored Eagles, but among the many factors, the weather also played a big part in their loss. Matthew did hold his own in the game, finishing with 324 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in the 28-22 loss.
His performance indicated he has plenty left in the tank. After the Divisional Round game, Matthew himself showed optimism about coming back next season. He was asked if he still had football left in him.
“Sure feels like it,” he responded.
Stafford entered the league as the undisputed first-overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions had set the record for fastest ever #1 pick at the time. They didn’t even let 10 seconds tick off to make the selection. Stafford played 12 seasons with the Lions and holds the franchise record for passing yards.
He also supported the franchise’s all-time leading receiver, Calvin Johnson. However, he has a below-par win-loss record of 74-90-1 with the Lions. Bogged down by mediocre results, the team eventually traded him to the Rams in a historic deal for both franchises in 2021.
In his first season in LA, Stafford led the team to their first Super Bowl win since 1999. He has since then developed a deep bond with the team and McVay. The Rams Head Coach has stated he has no immediate plans to replace him. And that would be another factor that could govern his decision to play on or not.
