Matthew Stafford injury update: Rams QB to be evaluated a 'week at a time' with ongoing back ailment

Matthew Stafford's immediate future in Los Angeles was solidified when he and the Rams agreed to restructure his contract early in the offseason, but it's still no guarantee he'll be on the field for Week 1 of the 2025 season.

The veteran quarterback is dealing with a back injury, and head coach Sean McVay indicated Saturday that Stafford still isn't ready to practice.

Moving forward, Stafford is set to be evaluated week-by-week as the 2025 campaign inches closer.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

Here's the latest on Stafford's health and when he could return to action.

MORE: The Rams' full QB depth chart following Matthew Stafford injury news

Matthew Stafford injury update

McVay revealed Saturday that Stafford is considered week-to-week with a back injury. Initially, the coach said he felt "pretty good" that Stafford would only be missing the first portion of training camp before returning to practice on Monday.

Instead, Stafford will not be practicing Monday due to "back soreness." He did not experience an injury setback, per Sarah Barshop, and the team's goal remains to have him ready by Week 1 of the regular season.

"He had a little bit of soreness in his back that kind of crept up," McVay originally said of Stafford on Tuesday, per Stu Jackson. "He's been throwing, feeling good. It's not anything that's necessarily new, something that he's dealt with before. Going into Year 17, we were going to take a modified approach with him, kind of similar to what we did in the offseason program."

Until Saturday, the expectation was that Stafford would begin practicing on Monday for the first time. For now, that step will be delayed.

Stafford, who did miss seven games in 2022 due to a back injury, has remained healthy for the most part since then. Durability is always a concern with aging quarterbacks, especially one with some injury history like Stafford, but he's remained an elite passer for the last few seasons while staying healthy.

For now, there's no immediate concern for Stafford, as McVay said he "absolutely" expects him to be ready for the regular season. But the longer the team has to delay his return to the practice field, the more his Week 1 status could wind up being in peril.

Matthew Stafford stats

Stafford is coming off an outstanding 2024 season in which he helped lead the Rams to a playoff berth before a close loss in the divisional round to Philadelphia. At the beginning of the offseason, he was given permission to speak with other teams during an ongoing contract dispute, but Stafford and the Rams wound up settling on a revised contract that kept him around.

Here's a look at Stafford's 2024 numbers: