Rams QB Matthew Stafford (Again) Addresses Retirement Speculation

When asked directly about retirement during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Stafford didn’t commit either way — but he didn’t close the door.

“You got to finish out a season and see where it takes you,” Stafford said. “I’m enjoying every moment that I have right now. If I end the year healthy, hypothetically and all those kinds of things, sure, I would surely entertain coming back and playing some more. We’ll see how it goes. But I’m just enjoying where my feet are right now. Having a blast playing ball with this group and we’ll figure out the future when we get there.”

It wasn’t definitive. It wasn’t dismissive. And it sounded very much like a quarterback who understands the reality of his situation.

Health, more than motivation, will dictate what comes next.

Support Local and Independent Sports Writing – Subscribe To the LAFB Network Today!

Different Answers, Same Reality

Stafford’s public comments about retirement have shifted over time. Earlier in 2024, he struck an optimistic tone on The Pat McAfee Show.

“I hope I got three or four [seasons] left in me,” Stafford said then. “We’ll see. Every year’s a new year. But I do feel good.”

By the end of last season, following a divisional playoff loss, the tone was notably more cautious.

“As far as my future goes, it’s 30 minutes after our last game,” he said. “I’ll take some time to think about it. I feel like I was playing some really good ball.”

Put together, the message is clear: Stafford isn’t finished — but nothing is guaranteed.

Get LAFB’s World Famous ‘Ring Me’ Aaron Donald T-Shirt

A Season That Keeps Raising the Bar

Stafford’s 2025 campaign hasn’t just been productive — it’s been historic.

In Week 13, his touchdown pass to Davante Adams marked his 28th straight without an interception, breaking Tom Brady’s long-standing record. He then became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least four touchdowns with zero interceptions in three consecutive games. One week later, against Arizona, Stafford surpassed Ben Roethlisberger for seventh-most completions in league history.

Put simply, he’s playing himself squarely into the MVP conversation — the one accolade missing from his résumé.

And if this season ends with a second Lombardi Trophy in Los Angeles, the retirement narrative would only grow louder.

The Injuries That Never Fully Go Away

For all the numbers, Stafford’s body remains the elephant in the room.

Since winning Super Bowl LVI, injuries have followed him relentlessly. In 2022, he battled concussions, elbow issues, and a neck injury that ended his season. In 2024, his wife Kelly revealed he played through four cracked ribs late in the year.

“He cracked four ribs,” she said. “But just didn’t really let anyone in to know really much about it. Continued his everyday process like nothing was wrong, would come home and be miserable.”

Then came the 2025 offseason, when Stafford missed training camp and the preseason due to recurring back soreness.

“He had a little bit of soreness in his back that kind of crept up,” head coach Sean McVay said at the time. “It’s not anything that’s necessarily new… Going into Year 17, we were going to take a modified approach with him.”

Stafford is scheduled to make roughly $44 million in 2025 and carries a projected $48.3 million cap hit if he returns in 2026. Financially and physically, the next decision will be a significant one.

Davante Adams Believes He Can Keep Going

One person not ready to put an expiration date on Stafford is his top target.

Davante Adams, who has caught 14 touchdowns from Stafford this season, believes his quarterback can play well into his 40s.

“No, there’s no reason why he couldn’t or shouldn’t,” Adams told J.B. Long on Rams Revealed. “I told him… whenever you stop, I’m done, so it’s up to you.”

Both players are under contract through 2026. Whether they finish those deals together is still very much undecided.

Enjoying the Moment, Watching the Horizon

For now, Stafford is doing exactly what he said he would.

He’s enjoying the season. He’s playing at an elite level. And he’s leading a team with real Super Bowl aspirations.

The retirement questions will wait. The draft discussions can simmer. The future will arrive when it arrives.

But the Rams would be wise to appreciate what they’re watching — even as they quietly prepare for the day it ends.