Sean McVay isn’t entertaining the thought of a life without Matthew Stafford as his quarterback.
The Los Angeles Rams’ season was ended up the doorstep of Super Bowl 60, losing to NFC West rival Seattle, 31-27, in the NFC championship game on Jan. 25.
While emotions can run high after such a loss, the Rams head coach was clearly not in the headspace or mood to answer a question related to his quarterback’s availability for the 2026 season.
‘Yeah, I mean, if he still wants to play, what the hell kind of question is that?’ McVay said when asked if he expects Stafford to be back with the Rams next season.
And whether or not Stafford wants to play?
‘You’d have to ask him. We’ve been totally present. 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 – and I got respect for everybody else – but this guy played at a level that was just different.’
Stafford turns 38 years old on Feb. 7 and was embroiled in trade rumors and contract negotiations with the Rams prior to the start of the 2025 season.
Ultimately, Stafford re-signed with Los Angeles, keeping him locked in as McVay’s starter through the 2026 season – unless he decides to call it a career.
The Rams quarterback hasn’t given an indication on whether or not he plans to retire now or in the near future. For now, he’ll likely turn his sights to the NFL Honors awards ceremony.
Stafford is considered an MVP front-runner thanks to his dazzling season under center. He set career-highs in touchdown passes (46) and passing yards (4,707), tossing just eight interceptions while guiding McVay’s offense to new heights as one of the most explosive units in the league.
The Stafford-McVay pairing has been one of the more successful duos in the NFL since the passer arrived in Los Angeles, capturing Super Bowl 56 in Stafford’s first season in LA.
