Rams, Matthew Stafford Agree To Extension

The Rams have officially committed to Matthew Stafford through at least the 2027 campaign. According to NFL Network’s Adam Schefter, the two sides have agreed to a one-year, $55MM extension. The deal could reach $60MM with incentives. The Rams have officially announced the deal.

After reworking the QB’s contract in both 2024 and 2025, there was one year remaining on the reigning MVP’s pact. With today’s extension, Stafford will now be attached to a two-year deal worth up to $105MM. The true $50MM average annual value would only rank 11th at his position, but a $55MM AAV would be tied for second behind Dak Prescott‘s record-breaking $60MM in annual earnings.

We heard last month that the Rams were progressing on a deal with Stafford. However, the team later stunned the NFL world when they used their 13th-overall selection in the draft on QB Ty Simpson. While the team is counting on the Alabama star to eventually guide their offense, Rams leadership also made it clear that the selection wasn’t an indictment on Stafford nor his standing on the team. Today’s agreement all but assures that Simpson will now warm the bench for at least his first two professional seasons.

The Rams have had to navigate a handful of contractual issues with Stafford. A year after acquiring the former first-overall pick from the Lions, the Rams signed the QB to a four-year, $160MM extension. As the veteran fell down the AAV leaderboard, he came to the table with restructuring requests in 2024 and 2025.

That latter negotiation led to the Rams letting Stafford speak with other teams about a potential trade. While the Giants and Raiders lined up guarantee packages covering north of $90MM, Stafford ultimately stuck with the Rams, agreeing to a revised two-year, $80MM deal that included a $40MM guarantee at signing. Another $40MM guarantee vested on Day 5 of the current league year. A $24MM 2026 option bonus was also split into four parts.

Stafford won MVP following an age-37 season that saw him pace the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46). The veteran has seen a career renaissance while playing under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. After going 74-90-1 in 12 seasons with the Lions, Stafford has gone 46-28 through his first five years with the Rams. The QB has also added 10 playoff appearances to his resume, including four during his team’s 2021 run to a Super Bowl championship.

The team’s pursuit of another championship has fallen short in recent years. However, the organization can rest easy knowing that the McVay/Stafford tandem will remain in place for at least the next few seasons.