Sean McVay’s latest comments on Matthew Stafford’s future with the Rams raise expectations for Super Bowl window
Matthew Stafford only has one year left on his deal, but Sean McVay kept the door open for him to remain long-term.
The plan for life after Matthew Stafford has been a hot topic of discussion surrounding the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. Stafford only has one year left on his contract, and he isn’t getting any younger.
However, at the NFL owner’s meetings, Rams head coach Sean McVay hinted at the possibility that the 2026 season might not be Stafford’s last year with the Rams.
Matthew Stafford can play “as long as he’s able to”
McVay told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche that Matthew Stafford will be a welcome member of the Rams “for as long as he wants to”.
He’s gonna be able to play as long as he’s able to, whether that’s one, two more, who knows, he might be one of those guys that plays late into his 40s and I wouldn’t have a problem with that.
Sean McVay
McVay also added that the Rams have had discussion with Stafford surrounding a potential extension and/or restructuring of his deal to increase his time with the Rams, but also expressed Stafford has the right to “play it year by year”.
This is an interesting scenario for the Rams to be in. As long as Stafford is in town, they will be in Super Bowl contention no matter what. Throughout the offseason, the Rams have approached and handled their roster construction like the 2026 season was an “all in” run with Stafford on his final year.
If that window changes, the Rams’ roster approach becomes fascinating. They won’t ever pick high enough to chase a top quarterback prospect, and eventually, the cap situation could bloat over with the young talent on the roster all needing deals.
Fortunately, the Rams have proven themselves able to navigate those murky waters before and are comfortable enough to acknowledge when and how to hit the reset button on their roster. I have a feeling that if the Rams do win the Super Bowl this year, that will be enough for Stafford (and almost assuredly puts the gunslinger in the Hall of Fame), but it’s an interesting discussion nonetheless.
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