Matthew Stafford has always been a pillar of stability. Whether it’s marrying his high school sweetheart, Kelly Stafford, or spending 15 seasons with just two NFL teams, uncertainty has rarely had a place in his life. But this offseason was different. For the second time in his career, his football future felt up in the air, with trade rumors swirling and his name linked to multiple teams.
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Luckily for the quarterback, the speculations around his future had a shelf life of only a few weeks. Stafford and the Rams ultimately announced the 37-year-old’s agreement to a restructured contract, ensuring his return for at least another season. However, while the deal provided clarity, Stafford admitted that the process took a toll — especially on his family.
In his recent appearance in New Heights, the Rams QB told Jason and Travis Kelce how happy he was to reach a middle ground with his team because the uncertainty had really eaten at him for weeks.
“Yeah, that was a little nerve-wracking there for a little bit, just trying to figure out what was going to go down. But happy to be back wearing Rams colors, playing at SoFi, doing the thing,” he admitted.
Stafford equated his and his family’s anxiety this offseason to what they experienced when he requested a trade from Detroit in 2021. Back then, the star quarterback recalled spending countless hours on real estate marketplaces like Zillow — every time a trade rumor popped up, all while worrying about his daughters’ schooling and acclimatization.
“Remember when I was getting traded from Detroit to LA?” he recalled. “Really, a couple of weeks before that, I had made it known that I wanted to be traded from Detroit, and I can’t tell you how much time I spent on Zillow at that point, looking at houses. And I’m sitting there going, ‘Man, where am I gonna be? Where are my kids gonna go to school?’ All this kind of stuff.”
While Stafford wasn’t a free agent this offseason, his stature and the Rams allowing his agent to engage in exploratory talks with other teams fueled trade rumors. From the Giants to the Raiders, several teams were reportedly interested in securing his services.
But in the end, Stafford and the Rams reached an agreement through a joint process, confirming he would remain with the team.
“I think in the end, I know that they wanted me back. I wanted to be back. We just had to kind of figure that out and get to that point… We did. Sure as hell happy that, you know, I’m gonna be here for at least another year—and hopefully some after that.”
They say all’s well that ends well, and rightly so. Stafford staying with the Rams is a win-win for all parties involved. On one hand, the Rams get the best veteran QB available on the market, while Stafford avoids uprooting his family and continues playing for the team that gives him his best shot at silverware.
Though Stafford’s return locks in the Rams’ starting QB for now, the team made another notable move under center by re-signing Jimmy Garoppolo to a one-year, $5 million deal.
While not many in the NFL would be thrilled to have Garoppolo as their veteran insurance policy due to his erratic performances and injury history, Sean McVay and the Rams see a lot of value in the 33-year-old. Garoppolo, a former NFC Champion (with the 49ers), brings experience and playoff pedigree for McVay, making him the most realistic like-for-like replacement option for the Rams.
But with that said, Stafford remains The Guy in the LA for now. He’s still got unfinished business there after the heartbreaking postseason exit of last season against the Eagles in the Divisional Round.
The Rams, meanwhile, will be hoping their Super Bowl-winning QB has at least one more big run left in him.
