Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford enters 2026 having just turned 38. He was set to have a base salary of $16 million, with a $12 million signing bonus. Stafford was never going anywhere with a dead cap hit north of $81 million. National reporters confirmed that Stafford, who is about to play his 18th season in the NFL, said the Rams gave him a one-year extension with $55 million in new money. Now, Stafford’s contract is good through the 2027 season, and he can earn up to $105 million remaining on his deal. Stafford has battled several injuries during the past few seasons, but he’s only missed four games in the past three seasons. Stafford has been among the most valuable players in the NFL in recent seasons. You could make a strong case for him being the best in the game last year. He threw for 46 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. The Rams’ hesitation to pay him was puzzling, even as he approaches 40. Then, once the Rams drafted a quarterback in the first round with only one season of starting experience, Los Angeles was mocked by most draft pundits. Now, Ty Simpson will have to wait two years before he steps onto the field. The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have seen enough of Stafford. According to Sports Info Solutions, three of Stafford’s best games last season were against his divisional foes. For what it’s worth, the top two were against the Niners
Four weeks after drafting quarterback Matthew Stafford’s potential eventual replacement, the Rams have reached a new deal with the latest NFL MVP. The Rams have announced that Stafford and the team have signed an extension . Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the one-year extension has a base value of $55 million . It can be worth up to $60 million with incentives. Stafford, 38, had been under contract for one more year, with a total compensation package of $40 million. The Rams and Stafford have been operating on a year-to-year arrangement. It’s currently unclear whether the Rams have made a firm, two-year commitment. Even if the Rams can feasibly exit the deal after 2026, Stafford’s commitment keeps him from becoming a free agent after the upcoming season. The structure will be the key. The amount of guarantees for 2027 will reveal whether the Rams are continuing to play it one year at a time, while also managing to keep Stafford from walking away, if he so chooses. The first overall pick in 2009, Stafford has earned more than $400 million during his NFL career. He was traded by the Lions to the Rams in early 2021. In his first season in L.A., the Rams won the Super Bowl
The Los Angeles Rams have signed quarterback Matthew Stafford to a one-year contract extension. The deal is worth a base of $55 million and can reach $60 million with incentives. Stafford, 38, was entering the final year of his previous contract and the extension ensures he remains with the team, at least for the upcoming season, preventing him from becoming a free agent
Bo Nix has led the Denver Broncos to the playoffs in both of his NFL seasons so far, but he still has plenty of room to grow to be counted by all as one of the elite QBs in the NFL. All but irrational Patriot fans, agree the Matthew Stafford was the best QB in the NFL in 2025. I discussed this earlier this month . So let’s look at a few areas where Nix can improve in 2025. According to Sumersports.com Nix had 478 pure dropbacks and 186 play-action passes – 28% playaction. This does not factor in the five RPOs as Nix had 669 dropbacks in 2025 and 478 + 186 is 664. 669 was most in the NFL. Dak Prescott was second with 657. One obvious way that Nix can “improve” is for the Broncos to have a better running game. A run game that the opposing defense fears makes play action so much more effective. For those who don’t know, EPA is expected points added which looks at how yards gained or lost on a play affected the historical chance of scoring points on a drive. EPA in the NFL stands for Expected Points Added . It is an advanced football statistic that measures the net point value gained or lost on a single play based on the game’s current situation. Playaction Plays 2025 The QBs whose offense used playaction the most in 2025 were Stafford and Daniel Jones . They were the only two above 36%. Compare that to Joe Burrow whose offense only used playaction 17.6% of the time (see below). The Ravens had one of the best run games in the NFL in 2025 and that helped Lamar Jackson get the best EPA/play on playaction passes – 0.55. Lamar had an astounding 79% completion rate on playaction passes. Bo Nix had an EPA/play on playaction of 0.07 which was 19th of 24 qualifiers. I’m guessing that much of Bo’s lack of success was do to the defense not respecting the run game. Although J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey both faced a high percentage of stacked boxes, so maybe Bo was just not very good (yet) at playaction throws. The rushing data below is from NFL Next Gen Stats. Stacked boxes (8+ defenders) are a show of respect for the RB and disrespect for the QB. Notice that Javonte Williams did not face many stacked boxes and this contributed to his increased success in Dallas last season. Another area where Nix can improve is his confidence on throwing into tight windows. NGS has a measure for this and they call it aggressiveness: Aggressiveness tracks the amount of passing attempts a quarterback makes that are into tight coverage, where there is a defender within 1 yard or less of the receiver at the time of completion or incompletion. AGG is shown as a % of attempts into tight windows over all passing attempts. Caleb Williams and Bo were the two “least aggressive” volume passers in 2025. This could be a result of their unwillingness to make mistakes by throwing into tight coverage, but it could also be a function of their lack of trust in their receivers being able to win on contested throws. Among full-time starting QBs, the most aggressive QBs were Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield . All three are established starters with no worry of getting benched for making a mistake. That being said Drake Maye was sixth in aggressiveness with two journeyman QBs with nothing to lose leading the pack ( Davis Mills and Marcus Mariota ). Follow the link to Twixter for the full table. Both of those guys threw plenty of YOLO balls in 2025 with many or Mariota’s coming against the Broncos. Among full-time starters, the range between the most and least aggressive was 9.1% absolute. That means that the least aggressive QB made one of these throws on 1 in 10, where the most aggressive made 1 in 5. Another area where Bo can improve is intermediate depth throws (target is 10 to 19 yards from LOS). According to SISdatahub.com, Bo was 24th of 29 qualifiers on intermediate throws with an IQR (their proprietary passer rating) of 66. IQR: Sports Info Solutions’ proprietary quarterback metric builds on the traditional Passer Rating formula by considering t
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If Puka Nacua proves to the Los Angeles Rams that he’s put the past behind him and that he will have a squeaky clean lifestyle from here on out, he might feel worthy of the contract extension that even Sean McVay has admitted the team is worried about giving him right now . But Nacua knows that it only takes one bad break for a player’s career to be over and now that he’s eligible for an extension for the first time, the difference between showing up and holding out could be worth $200 million. That’s too much money to expect Puka to just lay down and play for the $5.8 million he’s due next season. Wynston Wilcox of Fansided speculated if Nacua would holdout for a $200 million contract : This feels like the NFL’s best-kept secret. Puka Nacua hasn’t ruffled any feathers, but he’s been one of the most destructive receivers in the NFL since he was drafted and is due for a massive payday. With his off-the-field actions lately, though, his extension talks could be at risk. For now, he’s not holding out; still, after several historic contracts were handed out to receivers, you have to think Nacua is going to want to reset the market again. Could Nacua reach $200 million on his deal? It’s possible. Jaxon Smith-Njigba set a record by signing a four-year, $168.6 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. If the Rams want to go for more years with Nacua, he could sign a five-year deal worth over $200 million. There’s little question that when it comes down to football, there is no player besides Matthew Stafford who is more valuable to the L.A. Rams right now. But it is Puka’s off-field actions, and at times his physical playing style that leads to missing action, that could give the Rams pause and potentially lead to a stand-off. Whether it is a holdout or the increasingly popular “hold-in”, which is no different but involves the player showing up to avoid fines. Because no matter how much fans think Puka Nacua will want to avoid any headlines that could make him look like he’s not a team player, none of that matters when there’s $150-$200 million at stake
Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed regret on the 'Bussin with the Boys' podcast regarding how he handled the 2021 trade of quarterback Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions. McVay admitted he lacked the courage to communicate the business side of the game directly to Goff, leading to the quarterback being blindsided by the trade. While not necessarily regretting the decision itself, McVay stated he would handle the communication differently now, prioritizing transparency and avoiding catching the player off guard
The Rams were close to acquiring A.J. Brown from the Eagles earlier this offseason, and a blockbuster trade could still happen after June 1st. Eagles' cap constraints before June 1st prevented the deal, but waiting allows them to spread the $43 million cap hit over two years. The Rams, looking to maximize Matthew Stafford's remaining years and address receiver depth issues behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, remain interested in Brown
The NFL has approved changes to its international scheduling, allowing up to 10 games per season and removing the ability for teams to protect two home games from international play. This suggests a future with more marquee matchups and headliner teams featured in global games
Going into the 2025 season the Los Angeles Rams were worried about Matthew Stafford and his back, but no one exactly knew how worried. Now, it’s being shared by Sean McVay that the team was apparently very worried as Stafford and those around him truly wondered if he could suit up. Of course, Stafford did suit up, and he went on to win the NFL MVP Award. It’s remarkable. From not knowing if he could play, to having the personal best season of his career. It’s scary to know how close last year was to be potentially being a disaster (we’ll never really know), but do not worry, Stafford’s back is fine now, so expect another great year in 2026. That’s math and science. A big thank you to everyone for checking out Turf Show Times. Please comment on whatever you want and happy Wednesday! ““Those guys are like, ‘Man, that’s pretty cool of Sean to let you have off of camp and use a back injury to kind of do that,’” McVay said, recalling Stafford’s words. “He’s like, “The f*** are you talking about, man? That the back injury was real as s***. We were nervous as hell, man.’ It was a week before we’re playing Houston , the old Ammortal [Chamber] saved him. But that was real.“ “During an appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, McVay admitted that he came close to ending his coaching career during the Rams’ 5-12 campaign in 2022. “I almost quit coaching,” McVay said (h/t Mike Kadlick of Sports Illustrated ). “And you can use the narrative that I was gonna go to media or whatever. But the truth would have been, I was quitting. I couldn’t handle the losing. It was almost like a scarlet letter. I mean, there was moments … I was like counting down the days for that season to be over. Like, what a fraud.” “The Los Angeles Rams were closer to acquiring Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown on the trade market compared to the New England Patriots earlier in the offseason, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo . “That was really close,” Garafolo reported during a Tuesday appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (4:50 mark). “It was closer than it got with the Patriots. That was really close. There was one point where overnight it sort of died. It was like, ‘Late one night, this could be going down by the next morning. You know what, there’s too many moving parts here.'” “When Warner started collecting injuries Martz gave up on him. Warner was taking some punishment in the offense and never had the chance when Martz went with Bulger as the QB. Yet after a time in NY Warner found his way to Arizona and another Super Bowl. The whole Brenda Warner questioning the Rams and coaches was a doom for Warner in StLouis. Wasn’t a big fan of Martz after all the drama.” -ricker
Sean McVay revealed he almost quit coaching the Rams in 2022 due to the team's struggles and inability to handle losing, especially after injuries to Matthew Stafford, Bryce Perkins, and John Wolford before Baker Mayfield's arrival. Mayfield's successful debut against the Raiders, orchestrated by McVay, was a key moment in saving his career and a significant accomplishment for the Rams that season
I would normally sit here and tell you that a quarterback winning his first MVP and putting together his best individual season at age 37 is not a predictive indicator of what is to come. Smart bets would usually lean towards a return to normalcy and career baselines. I’m known for finding the contrarian angle and embracing it in full. Today I’m embracing the consensus and building the case for why Matthew Stafford’s best season yet was real and potentially predictive for his performance in 2026. One contrarian opinion is that Stafford won the MVP by default. That Patrick Mahomes , Joe Burrow , Brock Purdy , and others usually in the conversation spent too much time on the sidelines to create an opening for a player who had never seriously been in consideration. But Stafford was the NFL’s best signal caller last season with no qualifications. Stafford received Pro Football Focus (PFF)’s highest offensive and passing grades out of any quarterback who stepped on the field in 2025 at 92.0 and 91.7, respectively. On his heels was Joe Burrow—who played only eight games—at 91.8 and 91.3. Even late into his 30’s, Stafford is still able to manufacture big-time throws with the best of them. He led the NFL with 58 such passes at a clip of 7.7%. The next closest players were Caleb Williams (one fewer game; 37 passes, 5.4%) and JJ McCarthy (7.3%). Stafford was also one of the most aggressive quarterbacks in football with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 9.8. This is the second-highest mark of his tenured career and second in the NFL to only Marcus Mariota . Mariota’s offensive coordinator from last season, Kliff Kingsbury, is now a senior assistant on the Rams staff. The aggressiveness is not going anywhere. But with aggression comes mistakes. Stafford is also more prone to turnovers when compared to the top of his peers like Burrow and others. Of all quarterbacks with at least 151 dropbacks, Stafford finished 23rd in turnover-worthy play rate at 3.3%. Burrow (0.7%), Jared Goff (2.0%), Josh Allen (2.4%), Dak Prescott (2.7%), Caleb Williams (3.1%), and Patrick Mahomes (3.1%) were all notably lower. And Stafford isn’t the NFL’s most accurate passer either, which in part is attributable to his deeper depth of target. Using the same volume thresholds, Stafford ranked 31st in adjusted completion rate (ADJ%) at 72.3%. Goff (80.2%) and Brock Purdy (78.7%) were towards the top of the class. The encouraging sign is that we know this is who Stafford is and it’s been the case for mostly his entire career. His performance in turnover-worthy play and adjusted completion rate were middle of the pack for his overall body of work. There are no indicators that Stafford’s skillset is declining, and that should give fans optimism heading into 2026. PFF passing grade, big-time-throw rate, turnover-worthy play rate, average depth of target, and adjusted complete rate are the most stable and reliable indicators to predict future performance. Stafford either led the entire NFL in these marks or showed evident improvement from other stages in his career. His MVP season was real. His likelihood to sustain this production into 2026 should also be high. The Rams offense today is vastly different than how it looked when Stafford stepped under center in Los Angeles for the first time in 2021. LA is no longer a primary 11 personnel team. One of the most interesting wrinkles over the championship season—Stafford’s first with the team—was the deployment of empty formations to force decisions by the defense and trigger the quick passing game. That is not who the Rams are any longer. Instead, LA has recently leaned into heavier personnel packages with multiple tight ends and revamped their running game. The Rams are primarily a gap-based running scheme that now features a two-headed monster with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum . So while Stafford made hay in his early Los Angeles days by getting away from play action passes that asked him to turn his bac
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Sean McVay acknowledged that drafting Ty Simpson was not an easy decision, but that as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams it’s important to balance moves that will be better both for the short-term and the long-term. In an interview with the podcast Bussin’ with the Boys on Tuesday, McVay told hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan that he had a conversation with Matthew Stafford before drafting Simpson that “wasn’t exactly agreed upon” but that the reigning MVP understood where the franchise was coming from in terms of his timeline and needing a backup plan in case he retires next year. Based on how McVay tells the story of drafting the Alabama quarterback and the fallout after the fact by fans and media members skeptical of making a long-term move while Stafford is in a Super Bowl window right now, the Rams became comfortable with Simpson’s lack of experience based on the film and some of the maturity he showed as a leader by waiting for his turn instead of transferring and accepting responsibility for mistakes instead of blaming others. “I like that it wasn’t easy. I like that he had to wait at Alabama,” said McVay. “And the easy thing, especially nowadays, would’ve been able to run away (in the transfer portal). I like that they lose to Florida State and the sky is falling and they find a way to kinda have some resolve and they get into the SEC Championship and there’s a lot of good things in the midst of it. I like the way that he responded when guys would drop balls and he didn’t flinch. Or guys would give up a free runner and he didn’t say a word except, “Where can I be better?” Those were the things that the tape communicated to me.“ The Rams head coach also got into the “special” relationship he has with Stafford, how close the Rams were to putting him on injured reserve with a back injury last year (“We were nervous as hell”), and gave a hint that the quarterback does not agree with the team’s decision to draft a quarterback. But that it’s not going to stop him from trying to win a new Super Bowl for L.A., and in L.A., next season. Here’s more of what McVay had to say about Simpson and Stafford: “We have to plan for the short and the long term and what does that look like? Let’s go it right now but let’s also be able to sustain over a long period of time. We’ve got the reigning MVP of the league. (Stafford) is like a fine wine, he’s getting better with age. My relationship with him is special. There’s a connection. I think our personalities really balance each other out. It’s a really cool thing that we have and I don’t take that for granted. But he’s earned the right to walk away whenever he wants to. Going into year 18, we have to be mindful that we’re so lucky to have him be doing his thing. But if he said at the end of next year that it’s it for him, he’s earned the right to do that.” It’s interesting to think about how close the 49ers were trading for Stafford instead of the Rams in 2021, and how different the last five years would have gone if that happened. McVay’s ability to connect with Stafford as someone slightly younger than Kyle Shanahan (Stafford is 38, McVay is 40, and Shanahan is 46) could help the two have a smoother relationship than most HC-QB combos. On Simpson, McVay explained why the small sample size wasn’t too big of a concern. “If there’s an opportunity to get someone at 13 to upgrade his team. We addressed some needs in free agency … You got a lot of continuity from last year but you’re saying ‘Okay, there’s some really good players at 13, but you also say that there’s a guy that based on the film, you project this guy to potentially be a starting caliber quarterback. You like the body of work because of the way that (Simpson) played the position. Is it a short sample size? Yeah, it is. But it’s easier to evaluate that short sample size because it’s easier to evaluate because you’re evaluating all parts of, in the drop-back pass game, the 3-step, the 5-step, the 7-step; the way the fie
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When the Los Angeles Rams begin OTAs next week on May 26 , the player with the most to gain is also one of the biggest stars in the NFL. Puka Nacua can prove he’s back on the right track after checking in and out of rehab , setting himself up for a record-breaking payday extension before Week 1 if everything goes according to plan. But Nacua isn’t the only Rams player who with something major at stake this offseason and most of them are much less proven as far less established. Who else has the most to gain? Just by keeping his name in the headlines for football reasons only, Nacua separates himself from all the ugly headlines of the past . He is the face of the franchise and all fans want from him moving forward is stories about how much he’s killing it in practice. If he does that, Nacua could set a new record for receiver salary, upwards of $45 million per season. Although he is not going to start this season, and potentially won’t get a shot for several years to come if Matthew Stafford does not retire after 2026 , Simpson is the most hyped Rams rookie since Jared Goff simply because he’s a quarterback. More eyes will be on Simpson this offseason than Stafford, mostly because Stafford does not figure to practice very often and the rookie will be out there everyday. A good offseason for Simpson and fans will be very hyped for the future of the position. Any reports that Simpson is a long ways away from being ready and fans will be even more skeptical of the decision than they already were . Many fans dismissed Ferguson’s lack of opportunities in 2025 as just “Sean McVay being Sean McVay” when it comes to rookies and playing time. However, Ferguson only caught 44% of his targets in the regular season and only caught 1-of-6 in the playoffs. He wasn’t just blocked on the depth chart, Ferguson also failed to capitalize on his opportunities. Then the Rams drafted Max Klare in the second round of the 2026 draft, another tight end. Ferguson must reaffirm that he is the next in line behind Tyler Higbee or risk going the way of the Tutu. Thoughts of Stewart being the next Byron Young seem premature. The Rams may not be able to afford to keep Young after this season, so it is important that an edge rusher steps up and this offseason is the time to do it for Stewart or he risks being a quickly-forgotten rotational piece. At first he was considered one of the more exciting gets of the 2025 draft, a fourth round running back who could challenge Blake Corum for playing time. Instead, Hunter was a healthy scratch almost every week and got 0 offensive snaps over the entire season. Is there a future for Hunter with the Rams? He’s good. Now can he be great? His accolades are impressive: Defensive Rookie of the Year and two Pro Bowls in two years. But for Verse to join the ranks of the league’s top pass rushers, he’s going to need more than 7 sacks. That’s just a fact. At 25-years-old, Verse is at the point of his football career where he can’t make excuses for not finishing off his pressures into sacks. The development is done. Now is the time to move up a level because the Rams shouldn’t pay him $40 million or more per season on an extension if they’re only expecting 6-8 sacks. Verse’s teammate at Florida State and then drafted by L.A. shortly after him, in some ways Fiske was the better rookie. He was also the most forgotten second-year player on the Rams defensive line, totaling just 3 sacks and seeing his playing time decrease from 59% of snaps to only 48% of snaps. That’s the wrong direction. It’s not enough to open up chances for teammates, Fiske must be the one who is making the play sometimes. The offseason is a good time for him to prove that he deserves more playing time next season and that he will go back to the 10 sacks per season that he’s capable of. Same as Ferguson, McClendon must be a little worried that the Rams are already looking for his replacement. Third round pick Keagen Trost might not take over at right t
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This offseason, there was less speculation about Matthew Stafford’s future and retirement timeline than in previous years, and that could become more of a trend than an outlier despite him being the second-oldest expected starter in the NFL at age 38. Rams fans could be looking forward to at least four more years of Stafford being the oldest starting quarterback in the league. The reasons for him playing until he’s 40 and beyond are growing faster than the grey hairs in his beard. Retirement is a personal decision and could have nothing to do with an ability to play football or make money. Aaron Donald recently emphasized that he always planned to retire after eight seasons and was only enticed to return for two more years because of the Super Bowl. Stafford may want to retire if he wins a second Super Bowl. Or he might want to retire if L.A. does not win the Super Bowl this year. Only he knows the answer. But if he wants to play five more years, it’s hard to believe he lacks the ability to do it.. NFL teams drafted Bryce Young and Cam Ward with the first overall pick in 2023 and 2025 respectively, under the assumption that those quarterbacks would soon become the faces of the NFL. Well, Young and Ward combined to throw 38 touchdown passes in 2025, which is nine fewer than Stafford’s 46 touchdowns en route to winning MVP and also leading the league in passing yards. Ward was only a rookie last year and was not surrounded by much talent. Young is a limited passer who has not proven he can lead a high volume offense, but did take the Panthers to the playoffs at age 24. However, these aren’t outliers. These are examples of a frightening trend of incoming first round quarterbacks proving to be worse than expectations: *benched or in a QB competition in 2026 2019 draft: Kyler Murray*, Daniel Jones 2020 draft: Joe Burrow , Tua Tagovailoa*, Justin Herbert , Jordan Love 2021 draft: Trevor Lawrence , Zach Wilson*, Trey Lance*, Justin Fields*, Mac Jones * 2022 draft: Kenny Pickett * 2023 draft: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud , Anthony Richardson* 2024 draft: Caleb Williams , Jayden Daniels , Drake Maye , Michael Penix , JJ McCarthy*, Bo Nix 2025 draft: Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart Even in that group of 23 quarterbacks, of the 14 expected starters in Week 1, at least half have a lot to prove before they’re expected to be starters in 2027 and 2028. We saw the lack of belief the league has in young starters late last season when the Indianapolis Colts favored 44-year-old Philip Rivers over any other options that could have been available. His historically-bad athletic limitations were outweighed by the Colts belief in his football IQ and experience. Matthew Stafford is six years younger than Rivers was last season. It’s not that a team would want a 44-year-old quarterback with a weak arm, but this could imply that a 41 or 42-year-old Stafford is far better than the average 25-year-old quarterback. Four of the top-five quarterbacks in passing yards last season were 28 and older: Sam Darnold was the second-youngest at 28 Jared Goff was 31 Dak Prescott was 32 Stafford was 37 Maye was the only outlier and he was a hair from winning MVP. But he was not within a hair of Stafford’s actual value. No offense to Maye and he could be on a trajectory to be unbelievably good next season or 2027, but he was abysmally bad in the playoffs in spite of the Patriots reaching the Super Bowl. Maye was overrated last season and similar to Stroud in 2023, his season-long stats were considerably uplifted by having two or three dominant performances against the worst teams in the league. Maye had 5 touchdowns against the Jets, two more scores than he had in any other game. The NFL’s hope for quarterbacks like Caleb Williams and Maye “proving” that they are about to take over the league because of the seasons and playoff runs they had in 2025 will have to go a lot better than Jayden Daniels’ second season or Stroud’s second season, or they risk becoming
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This article analyzes the NFL's worst quarterback rooms entering the 2026 season, providing Week 1 starting predictions. It highlights players like Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, Riley Leonard, and Seth Henigan as examples of teams with potentially weaker QB situations, contrasting them with top-tier talent like Patrick Mahomes and Drake Maye
In February, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford became the oldest signal caller at age 37 to win MVP for the first time . Stafford will not only be working against the clock in the 2026 season, but also against a history of QBs in their late 30s this century who have declined after winning MVP. The Rams’ QB is tied for the third-oldest player to have ever won the award. Since 2000, only three other quarterbacks age 37 or older have won MVP: Player Age at Time of Year(s) Won Year(s) Won & Team Tom Brady 40 (oldest ever QB to win) 2017, Patriots Aaron Rodgers 37 and 38 Won back-to-back in 2020-21, Packers Peyton Manning 37 2013, Broncos Rich Gannon 37 2002, Raiders Each of these signal callers experienced a decline — only some were more noticeable than others. Brady was the gold standard for the “old guy MVP QB club,” as he remained his typical productive self in the season following his final MVP win. While his passing yardage, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating all dipped slightly, he managed to guide a weaker-than-normal New England squad to a sixth Super Bowl win. After Rodgers’ two straight MVP wins, his interception rate soared from 0.8% to 2.2%, and he also had the worst passer rating of his career (91.1) until his 2024 campaign with the Jets . The Packers suffered a down year, finishing 8-9 before Rodgers was traded to New York in the offseason. Manning started hot in the encore to his historic 2013 campaign, starting the year with a 29-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio through Week 9 of 2014. Then, beginning with a blowout Week 10 loss to the Rams, he ended the season with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 10-8. Part of his second-half dip was due to injury concerns. Of anyone in that grouping, Gannon had the worst drop-off, which is unfair. Gannon suffered a shoulder injury after a dismal start to the 2003 season. His career was effectively ended in 2004 following a serious neck injury. Playing quality football in a player’s late 30s is tough enough, but it’s an even greater feat to maintain MVP-level quarterback play at that age. Stafford is working against history and Father Time as he works to get the Rams back to a Super Bowl before retirement. Los Angeles had better hope that once his play declines — and that’s inevitable for older QBs — it doesn’t dip significantly to hinder any chances of a deep playoff run
I don’t think anyone is saying that Stefon Diggs will sign with the Los Angeles Rams, but it is a possibility. At this stage, Diggs is likely weighing his options with regard to who will pay him, and which team gives Diggs the best chance at winning a Super Bowl? Diggs has still shown he has the ability to help a team, but the Rams already have Puka Nacua and Davantae Adams, so Diggs fit may be a little tough, Of course, is Diggs accepts that some weeks he’ll thrive, while during others he’d be a third or fourth option, the he could fit right in. At this point, it seems like Diggs could sign with someone soon, or he could wait for injuries and opportunities to arise that may not be available now. Either way, the Rams have options, and Diggs might be one of them. Thank you for checking out Turf Show Times and have Monday! “The Chiefs could make sense. The Commanders might, too, since Diggs is from D.C. The Falcons and Rams would also be interesting landing spots,” Breer said. Diggs is up there in age as he prepares to turn 33 in November, but he showed he can still make a big impact after another 1,000-yard season in 2025. The Rams are the least in need of a wide receiver out of those teams considering they have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams , but never rule the Rams out of anything because of Les Snead’s knack for pulling off big moves.“ “The Ravens could be a fit here for Diggs, but I really like him in L.A. alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams . The Rams attempted 430 passes out of 11 personnel last season (ninth most in the league), and Diggs is a natural separator who can line up inside or outside. Plus, he has the toughness to work the middle of the field on in-breaking concepts, a key element of coach Sean McVay’s offense. Diggs had 85 receptions last season for the Patriots, which was almost twice as many as their next-closest wide receiver ( Mack Hollins with 46). He would provide an easy boost to the WR room for quarterback Matthew Stafford .“ “ Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is a big fan of preseason joint practices. McVay feels that those sessions against another team mimic enough live-action football within a controlled environment to toughen his squad, while also fine-tuning their operation. In 2025, the Rams participated in joint practices with the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints . The Cowboys, who hold training camp in Oxnard, California, typically play the Rams in the preseason. That will not happen this year. The Rams are set to play the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers , and the Saints in the preseason.“
This is the part of the offseason where football fans are arrested to counting off days on the calendar. We won’t see the Detroit Lions take the field to play football for some time now, but at least we have the schedule for when it will all eventually happen! For the next week here at Pride of Detroit, we’re going to share our thoughts on some schedule superlatives. We’ll be breaking down a different angle of Detroit ’s schedule every day, each of us on staff offering our unique perspective on what the schedule makers have put together for the Lions. Today’s superlative has us circling the most important game—or stretch of games—for Detroit in 2026. Brandon Knapp: Week 10 through Week 12 Patriots through Thanksgiving. This is the big three games in 12 days that everyone is talking about. The Patriots game will be a good test for the Lions going up against the defending AFC Champions. What I’m more interested in is how will Detroit perform against Tampa Bay after playing overseas. Then, on three days rest, they host the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. If the Lions can win two out of the three, I’ll take it. Ryan Mathews : Week 1 through Week 5 While the stretch of games from Week 10 through Week 12 is undoubtedly brutal, the Lions need to set the tone long before those games are even played. Detroit must take advantage of the open to their schedule. We’re talking winning a minimum four out of their first five contests to maximize the benefits of having that fourth-place schedule. There’s no shame in losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, but dropping any of the other four games against the New Orleans Saints , New York Jets , Carolina Panthers , or Arizona Cardinals —a group that combined for a 20-48 record in 2025—could prove costly as the schedule ramps up at the end of October. Erik Schlitt: Week 15 through Week 18 The Lions’ closing with three divisional road games over the final four weeks of the regular season means they’ll need to be locked in if they want to win the division. This stretch of games—which also includes a Monday night game against the Giants at Ford Field—should be a critical component in determining whether the Lions can host any postseason games. Jeremy Reisman: Week 15 through Week 18 It has to be how the schedule ends. While the Lions could—and should—get out to a comfortable start given this schedule, everything will come down to how they play within the division on the road. The division, playoff seeding, and the top NFC spot could all be on the line over that final month of the season, setting us up for some very exciting/nerve-wrecking December/January football. Al Karsten: Week 15 through Week 18 The Lions should have an opportunity to reclaim some mojo early, find footing on both sides of the ball, and stack wins. The key, however, will be finishing strong unlike they did last season during a three-game losing streak and four losses in a six-game stretch in the back half of the year. The two biggest blemishes for Detroit last season were they looked lifeless for much of December and they were embarrassed by division rivals Green Bay and Minnesota . Their final four-game stretch in 2026—featuring three divisional road games and a primetime “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Giants—will likely determine their postseason fate and whether they enter the playoffs with momentum. After going a combined 10-2 within the division over the previous two seasons (2023-24) before slipping to 2-4 last year, reclaiming the NFC North crown down the stretch will be critical
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