The Los Angeles Rams could have had a completely different 2025 outlook if Matthew Stafford decided not to return to the team. While there were rumors that the quarterback would want to leave without a pay raise, Stafford ultimately signed a new deal with the team to remain in L.A.
The decision had a ripple effect on the Rams and the rest of the league, as teams who were interested in Stafford had to look elsewhere while the Rams could focus the rest of the offseason on finding talent to add around him.
Therefore, it shouldn’t be a surprise that CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan named Stafford’s return as the most impactful move of the 2025 NFL offseason.
With Stafford, L.A. is in the Super Bowl conversation thanks to the continued presence of Sean McVay, along with an emerging defense. Without him, the Rams likely would’ve been forced to look at other options like Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Rodgers, or some draft prospect. Regardless of who would’ve been under center, Los Angeles would’ve been categorically worse and nowhere close to the Super Bowl ceiling it currently possesses.
Stafford is the tide that raises all boats in L.A. Why do you think the Rams immediately turned around and won a Super Bowl the year he joined the team? In any event, the Rams have their short-term plan at quarterback locked in for at least 2025, and they’ll continue to push all the chips into the middle of the table to try and bring home another Lombardi Trophy before Stafford’s time in the NFL is up.