What Rams' Stafford said to Smith about muffed punt in NFC Championship loss

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Xavier Smith. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

What Rams' Matthew Stafford said to Xavier Smith about muffed punt in NFC Championship loss to Seahawks

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jan 27, 2026 10:48 AM ET

One of the biggest moments of Sunday's NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks involved Los Angeles' Xavier Smith muffing a punt following a Rams defensive stop when Seattle held a 17-13 lead early in the game's third quarter.

Following the Rams' tough 31-27 loss to the Seahawks, Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford was asked if he had a message for Smith regarding that moment.

Matthew Stafford has love for Xavier Smith after brutal turnover

"I told him that I love him," Stafford responded, per the Seahawks' website. "And I do. The guy wants to go out there and make every play he possibly can, and sometimes it doesn't happen. I've been in those situations. And it doesn't change how I feel about the human being and the person and the player."

On the game's very next play, Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold connected with wide receiver Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown pass that put the hosts up by double digits. The Seahawks ultimately held a lead for the remainder of the contest.

HUGE turnover on special teams. Seahawks take over.

LARvsSEA on FOX/FOX One
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— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026

Did someone order a Jake Bobo touchdown?

LARvsSEA on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/kQXCvLVIty
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026

"Love the guy," Stafford added about Smith. "Trust him and wish nothing but the best for him. Obviously, a mistake that he doesn't want to have happen. But we had our opportunities after that to grab hold of the game and make enough plays to win. We just didn't do it."

What Matthew Stafford said to Cooper Kupp after Rams' loss to Seahawks

After the game, cameras caught Stafford looking to congratulate former teammate and current Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Stafford noted that he simply wanted to wish Kupp "good luck" regarding Seattle's Super Bowl matchup versus the New England Patriots on Feb. 8. Per Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated, Kupp also spoke about his interaction with Stafford.

"Matthew’s the man," Kupp said. "Ultimate competitor, one of the best to ever play the position. I love the guy, and every time he has the ball, it’s freaking terrifying."

Stafford, Smith and others within the Rams may spend the next several months wondering what could have been had the punt been properly secured roughly three minutes into the game's second half.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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