After another crushing postseason defeat, NFL fans are left wondering if Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford might hang up his cleats for good. Amid the discussion, Stafford offered an update on his football future.
Matthew Stafford’s Future in Focus After Playoff Heartbreak Against Seahawks
On January 25, just hours before the Los Angeles Rams took on the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, NFL insider Ian Rapoport announced that Stafford plans to return for his 18th NFL season in 2026.
Rapoport mentioned that “Stafford has told people close to him that he does believe he has some good football left…” adding that the soon-to-turn-38-year-old wants to return next year, “no matter what.”
However, with a 31-27 loss to Seattle that same evening, Stafford’s future no longer appears to be as clear-cut. After completing 22 of 35 passes for 374 yards and 3 touchdowns, but eventually losing in heartbreaking fashion, Stafford, along with head coach Sean McVay, shared new updates in their post-game interviews.
When Stafford was asked, “How would you kind of evaluate how you played this season and will you be back next year?”, the MVP candidate responded bluntly, saying, “I can’t generalize, six months of my life 10 minutes after a loss.”
Stafford thanked his teammates, coaches, and everyone who helped the Rams be successful this season. Ultimately, Stafford dodged the latter half of the question concerning his status for next year.
In McVay’s press conference, he was asked if he expected Stafford to return next fall. McVay, clearly fed up, fired back, “Yeah… if he still wants to play, the hell kind of question is that?” McVay quickly pulled back, though, and added that the media will have to ask Stafford directly if they want a concrete answer.
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McVay closed by praising Stafford, stating, “If he wants to, he’s still playing at a pretty damn good clip. He’s the MVP of the league.” A week later, McVay was quoted by Rams reporter Greg Beacham, noting, “I’m keeping my fingers crossed, like you guys, that he still wants to go play.”
While Stafford’s future remains uncertain, he has continued to play at a high level, ranking sixth among all quarterbacks in PFSN NFL QB Impact Metric. With his game largely reliant on arm talent rather than athleticism, that production could very well carry over into next season, if he returns.
Tonight, Stafford will find out if he’s awarded the NFL’s 2025-26 Most Valuable Player. Hopefully, the result will give him more clarity about his future in football.
