After months of speculation and slow-moving negotiations, Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams have officially agreed on a restructured deal that will pay the veteran quarterback $44 million for the 2025 NFL season. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, $40 million of that amount is fully guaranteed, with $4 million already paid earlier this year.
This latest deal marks a significant bump from the original $58 million Stafford was slated to earn over the next two years under his previous contract. Now, with this new arrangement, the 36-year-old passer is on track to pocket $84 million across 2024 and 2025. If Stafford remains on the roster at the start of free agency in 2026, he’ll trigger another $40 million payout, an added incentive for both sides to keep the relationship going.
Trade talks, loyalty, and a familiar outcome
Before recommitting to Stafford, the Rams briefly allowed the quarterback to explore his market value during the offseason. Teams like the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders reportedly expressed interest in a potential trade, but ultimately, Los Angeles chose continuity over a shake-up.
The reunion reinforces the Rams‘ belief in Stafford’s leadership, despite his age and injury history. While not every season has matched the magic of the Rams‘ 2021 Super Bowl run, Stafford has consistently delivered when healthy, and head coach Sean McVay made it clear he’s not ready to say goodbye to his QB just yet.
A year-by-year partnership
This deal doesn’t just provide financial security, it sets the tone for what the Rams have called a “year-by-year” commitment. At this point in Stafford‘s 17-year NFL journey, both sides are evaluating the future one season at a time.
Coach McVay recently told SiriusXM’s Adam Schein that he’s hopeful Stafford sticks around for “a couple more years,” even as retirement looms as a natural question for a player entering his late 30s. With another big payday secured and a coach who still believes in him, the Rams‘ longtime quarterback has all the motivation to keep pushing, at least for now.
Will 2025 be Stafford’s last dance in L.A., or just another chapter? One thing is certain: the Rams are still all-in on their veteran leader.
Read the full article here
