Could Rams' Sean McVay retire as HC if Matthew Stafford walks away?

The Los Angeles Rams could be on the cusp of an interesting offseason with possibly some unexpected changes. 

For a piece published Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano briefly touched upon the future of Rams head coach Sean McVay amid what's become a disappointing season. 

"The McVay flirtation with the broadcast booth last offseason was real, and what I was told at the time was that he might have made the move if the quarterback situation in L.A. wasn't as settled as it appeared to be," Graziano explained. "But coming off a year like this, would he reconsider? Matthew Stafford's contract likely keeps the QB in L.A. a little longer, and it's also possible McVay could decide he doesn't want to go out like this. That also could depend on what's available in terms of the big, big broadcasting jobs."

Graziano was referring to reports from February that said at that time the reigning Super Bowl champion coach could potentially retire from the sidelines to accept a gig in broadcasting via a deal worth up to $100 million over five years. While both McVay and Stafford signed extensions following the Rams' Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals, those deals were inked before Los Angeles fell to 3-7 this season and before the signal-caller experienced worrisome head injuries. 

Stafford has entered the concussion protocol twice since the morning of Nov. 8, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport recently raised eyebrows when he either intentionally or unintentionally suggested the 34-year-old may not return for another season because of concerns related to his health. 

"His interest in broadcasting is sort of the league's worst-kept secret," Fowler added about McVay. 

Spotrac notes that Stafford has earned approximately $300 million off NFL contracts, alone, and McVay presumably could sign a nine-figure deal with a network willing to splash the cash for his services before the new league year opens in March. One wonders if Stafford and McVay could agree this winter is the right time to ride off into the sunset of retirement together and with a championship on their impressive résumés.