Is Matthew Stafford planning to force Rams to make difficult Ty Simpson decision?

While Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford seems willing to serve as a mentor for 2026 first-round draft pick Ty Simpson, the fact that Stafford recently inked a contract extension has caused some to wonder when the Rams will pivot to having Simpson atop their depth chart. 

Stafford turns 39 years old in February 2027 and presumably could retire following the upcoming season. However, he hinted during a recent appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show"  that he may have more than one campaign left in the tank. 

Matthew Stafford knows he's dealing with a "delicate" situation

"It is something delicate," Stafford said about calling time on his career, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "I’ve got to navigate the end of it, and I’m not sure when that is. I want to be fair to our team, but I also want to be fair to myself and take this thing year to year. But at the same time, I love playing, and I’m excited about this season." 

As Sarah Barshop of ESPN shared, Stafford insisted while speaking with reporters on Thursday that he is trying to answer questions asked by Simpson during film studies and on the practice field "as honestly and as thoroughly as I possibly can." However, Stafford added that his "job is to go out there and get myself and our team as ready to play as I possibly can." 

The extension that Stafford signed could keep him atop the Rams' depth chart through the 2027 season. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as the reigning regular-season Most Valuable Player produced elite numbers from last September through January 2026. 

Then again, Stafford and the Rams could agree to break up as soon as this coming March. 

Matthew Stafford wants to play for "as long as I can"

"If I'm feeling healthy, and, you know, it's, like I said, it's a family decision -- I can't sit there and tell you what it's gonna look like 365 days from now," Stafford said on Thursday about how long he could continue playing, per Grant Gordon of the NFL's website. "If you can, let me know. But, you know, it's just one of those deals where I'm doing the best I can to make sure that I can play as long as I can, and make sure that my family and I are all on the same page before we embark on whatever season it may be."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio is among those who think Stafford "has no desire to play for another team" after the one-time Super Bowl champion took less money to stay with the Rams following the 2024 season. Stafford didn't confirm that this week, so his future beyond the upcoming campaign could make for an interesting storyline come February 2027.

"I understand where the team's coming from," Stafford said Thursday about the Rams drafting Simpson. "Listen, I'm not 25 years old, and I get that. So we're doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it."