'Rams' Matthew Stafford uncertain about future in NFL'
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford admitted on Sunday that he believes he still has more time left in his football career, but the 16-year veteran and former Super Bowl champion was not ready to commit to playing until 2025.
After throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns in a snowy game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Stafford's comeback attempt fell just short in a 28-22 loss in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Rams were only able to reach the 13-yard line before their final drive stalled.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Stafford said, "As far as my future goes, it's only been 30 minutes since our last game, so I'll take some time to think about it. I feel like I was playing really well." The 37-year-old quarterback is currently under contract for two more seasons.
Later, Stafford expressed his love for competing and did not sound like he was ready to retire. He said, "I love being in those moments. I'm not afraid of them. I competed my heart out and unfortunately it didn't go the way I wanted today. But next time I'm out there, I'll line it up and do it again."
Coach Sean McVay, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in Stafford's first season with the team, also did not want to discuss the quarterback's future. He said, "I'm not interested in talking about next year. Right now, I'm just grateful for this team."
McVay's comments show that he has full confidence in Stafford, who spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions before being traded to the Rams in March 2021 for two first-round draft picks, a third-round pick, and quarterback Jared Goff.
According to McVay, "Stafford put us in a position to win that game. That's who he is, and I'm not surprised at all. With him leading the way, we all expected to win that game." The coach also added that he and the team were expecting to win by a score of 29-28.
In his 222 regular-season games, Stafford has completed 63.4% of his passes for 59,809 yards and 377 touchdowns, ranking 10th in league history in both categories.
