"They know Matthew Stafford is on the downslope of his career" - NFL analyst claims Rams QB's future is in jeopardy, outlines replacement timeline

By Henrique Bulio

Modified Aug 14, 2025 11:14 GMT

Los Angeles Rams defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-21 to win a pre-season NFL football game. - Source: Getty — Matthew Stafford's injury created more questions - Source: Getty

The future of Matthew Stafford remains uncertain. The veteran quarterback adjusted his contract before the season, but he is 37 and has a history of injuries, which has become concerning for the franchise.

On NBC's Pro Football Talk, Chris Simms and Mike Florio discussed the future of the Rams quarterback. Simms noted that, with Stafford's career close to ending, Los Angeles might be loading up for a quarterback move in the next draft.

"The thing that just pops into my head, Mike, and I think that we all know this is coming ... all signs point towards 'Hey, they're going to make a move at quarterback'. I expect that in the next draft, because they know Matthew Stafford is on the down slope of his career. [He's] tough as hell, been beat up, all the things you're talking about. And then, they got to start looking to the future."

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Stafford has been struggling with a back injury in preseason. Although he was slated to return to practice on Monday, he did not feature. Rams coach Sean McVay said Stafford was itching to return to the field, but the team is being cautious with its star quarterback.

What will Matthew Stafford earn in his 2025 contract with the Rams?

After his contract was adjusted, the Super Bowl LVI champion will receive $44 million for the 2025 season. Before his negotiation, he was set to earn $58 million for the next two seasons.

When the next free agency starts, he'll earn another $40 million if he's on the roster for the Rams. $84 million for the next two seasons is a massive upgrade when compared to his previous number.

He was reportedly considering retirement after the 2024 season ended, but decided to stay in the league for at least another season. However, another big injury could spell the end for Stafford.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

Know More

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Edited by Henrique Bulio