{"id":730145,"date":"2026-02-05T01:39:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T01:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/730145\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T01:39:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T01:39:16","slug":"rams-await-matthew-staffords-franchise-changing-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/730145\/","title":{"rendered":"Rams await Matthew Stafford’s franchise-changing decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANTA CLARA \u2014 With general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay locked in on new multiyear contracts, the Rams have turned their attention to quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has a big decision to make.<\/a><\/p>\n

Does he return for an 18th NFL season<\/a> or call it a career?<\/p>\n

Does he commit for another year, maybe even push for a new contract that pushes his 2026 compensation from $42 million, which is middle of the pack for NFL quarterbacks, to the going rate of $55 million to $60 million for a quarterback of his stature?<\/p>\n

Or does he walk off into the sunset<\/a> and a life that provides all the time he needs with his wife, Kelly, and their four daughters?<\/p>\n

Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Whatever the 37-year-old Stafford decides to do will shape how Snead and McVay attack the offseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there will be two different teams, with or without Matthew,\u201d Snead said Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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Those are two entirely different vantage points from which Snead and McVay will approach free agency and the draft.<\/p>\n

With Stafford, it\u2019s about balancing the right now and the future. Adding pieces that accentuate a Stafford-led team but without losing sight of a soon-to-be Rams world that no longer includes one of the NFL\u2019s best quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if Stafford pushes the fast-forward button and creates a crater-sized hole at quarterback, the club\u2019s roster-building approach changes dramatically. It won\u2019t be a full rebuild, necessarily, but clearly a world filled with far more questions than answers.<\/p>\n

Do they trade for an impact veteran quarterback or aggressively use the draft to identify and develop Stafford\u2019s heir apparent?<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the macro level, when Matthew\u2019s on the horse, we go, let\u2019s make the most of our time with Matthew,\u201d Snead said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re well aware that there will be a time where we have to transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay watches from the sideline during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle. AP<\/p>\n

As eager as Snead and McVay are to get an answer and make whatever adjustments are needed, they understand the virtue of patience. They will extend as much as they possibly can to Stafford as he sorts through his decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna give him his space,\u201d Snead said. \u201cLet\u2019s call it recover and rejuvenate, and then determine hey, do we want to get back on this horse again and go chase, earn and grab special moments together?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Coming off a season many believe will earn him his first MVP award, Stafford is still very capable of creating those special moments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that if that\u2019s something that he wants to do, the answer is absolutely yes,\u201d McVay said. \u201cI think what\u2019s great is he\u2019s going to take his time and talk with Kelly and the girls and see what\u2019s best, but, man, is he still playing at an incredible level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Les Snead G.M. of the Rams during an NFL game between the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams on November 12, 2017 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear what McVay\u2019s preference is, but he wants Stafford to take the necessary time to make the decision that is best for himself and his family. However long that might take.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe deserves as much time as he needs,\u201d McVay said. \u201cWe spend a lot of time together. I\u2019m hopeful, but with respect to him, we haven\u2019t set any sort of timetable. I don\u2019t get the sense that he wants to let it drag on, either. We\u2019ll see what he\u2019s feeling. I\u2019m keeping my fingers crossed like you guys that he wants to still play.\u201d<\/p>\n

No matter what Stafford decides this offseason, Snead understands it\u2019s only a matter of time before the Rams must deal with life without their star quarterback. However long they have him in the fold, they want to maximize it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, we try to keep it simple,\u201d Snead said. \u201cLet\u2019s make the most of our time with Matthew. And then when the time comes that Matthew says, \u2018You know what, enough\u2019s enough,\u2019 then let\u2019s be prepared to transition from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

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