Matthew Stafford, the Los Angeles Rams' quarterback, is contemplating his NFL future following the team's divisional round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Speaking after the game, Stafford stated he would "take some time to think about" his next steps. Head coach Sean McVay expressed a desire for clarity on Stafford's future "sooner than later" as the offseason progresses, although he currently has no updates.
Stafford concluded the season with an impressive performance, completing 65.8% of his passes for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Despite these numbers, his season was not without challenges, particularly a rib injury sustained in Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers. Though Stafford's wife, Kelly, disclosed on her podcast that he cracked four ribs during that game, the Rams' medical staff found no conclusive evidence of injury in their post-game imaging.
"It continued to kind of just irritate him, but it didn't affect his ability to practice, anything play-related," McVay explained.
Stafford showed resilience by continuing to play and practice, only missing time in Week 18 due to a coach's decision after the Rams had secured the NFC West title. McVay acknowledged Stafford's toughness, noting that an MRI before the game against Minnesota revealed some stress reactions.
"But he did have some irritation. And then before the Minnesota game when he did get an MRI scan there showed some stress reactions. That was what was communicated to me," McVay said.
The situation with Stafford mirrors last offseason when the Rams and their quarterback navigated similar uncertainty before agreeing on an adjusted contract at training camp. McVay emphasized the mutual respect and appreciation between the team and Stafford.
"I think there's a lot of love coming from our part. I think there's a lot of appreciation coming from his part as well. And I think a lot sooner than later is an ideal scenario."
As for Stafford's injury, McVay highlighted the physical toll of the NFL season on players.
"It's like anything else, as the season goes on, players accumulate things that they work through when you play as many games as they do."
Despite the lingering questions about Stafford's future, McVay remains optimistic about forthcoming discussions with the quarterback.
"We'll talk about all those things at the appropriate time."
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