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The Los Angeles Rams are one win away from another Super Bowl appearance, facing the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, their most consequential moment since lifting the Lombardi Trophy in 2021.
Yet the significance of this matchup extends beyond the postseason. Developments surrounding quarterback Matthew Stafford are shaping the franchise’s direction well past this playoff run.
Stafford’s season has unfolded as a reversal of expectations. Entering the year, questions surrounded his durability and age, with the veteran set to turn 38 in February after battling a back issue that kept him out of training camp and preseason action.
Those concerns have been overshadowed by elite production. Stafford completed 65% of his passes, paced the NFL with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns, and threw only eight interceptions, numbers that placed him squarely in the MVP conversation.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Stafford has privately indicated he intends to keep playing in 2026, regardless of how this postseason ends. That stance was shared before the Rams surged to the conference title game, leaving some uncertainty about whether a Super Bowl victory could alter the calculus.
Still, the belief that he has football left has provided clarity for a team that has long been weighing how to plan around an aging quarterback.
From a roster-building perspective, the timing matters. Stafford carries a $40 million salary that becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year in March. His play has made the decision far less theoretical, as Los Angeles balances financial commitment against a quarterback performing at the peak of his career.
Stafford’s surge reshapes the Rams’ immediate future
Stafford’s resurgence has also strengthened the foundation between quarterback and head coach Sean McVay. Their partnership remains central to the Rams’ identity, especially as McVay stands on the verge of historic company.
A win in the NFC Championship Game would place him among a short list of coaches to win each of his first three conference title games and make him the youngest head coach to reach three Super Bowls.
The quarterback himself hinted at his mindset earlier in the year, saying, “I feel pretty good right now,” while stopping short of firm promises about the future.
His recovery process, which included the use of a specialized chamber to manage his back injury, allowed him to maintain a level of play that exceeded that of previous seasons. His wife, Kelly Stafford, echoed that sentiment, noting that the current situation aligns with how they envision the final chapter of his career.
Stafford’s performance has not only elevated the Rams’ ceiling but also narrowed their options. He is now the betting favorite to win the 2025 regular-season MVP, and his output has erased any simple path toward transition.
For a franchise built around maximizing windows, the question is no longer whether Stafford can still lead. It is how long the Rams are willing to ride a quarterback who continues to defy the usual timeline.
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