"Thought I Had 3 Good Ones Left": Matthew Stafford Gets Honest About Defying the Odds With Rams at 38

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford 9 warms up before an NFL, American Football Herren, USA Conference Championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday, January 25, 2026. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA SEA20260125802 GARYxCASKEY ©IMAGO/UPI Photo

A journey that started with uncertainty has turned into one of the best runs of Matthew Stafford’s career. After being traded from the Detroit Lions to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 at 33, Matthew Stafford was pretty sure he would not be around in the league for much longer. Five years later, he’s proven himself wrong.

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“I remember when I got traded here, I was talking to Sean [McVay] in Mexico and thought maybe I had three good ones left,” Matthew Stafford said on The Athletic Football show. “You know, I’m like, I don’t know, man, 15 years seems like a long time at that point. That’s what it would have been. 13, 14, 15. And going into six years here in LA, it feels awesome. I feel good, and it’s been a blessing for me, for sure.”

Matthew Stafford put up big numbers during his 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, but the team never won a playoff game. He’d been in the postseason only thrice with the Lions. But Stafford’s fate turned around after he joined the Rams. Since 2021, the 38-year-old quarterback has racked up 19,407 yards, 141 touchdowns, made two Pro Bowls, and won Super Bowl LVI.

In 2025, Stafford also won his first NFL MVP, after which he’s finally getting some due recognition. EA Sports gave Stafford a perfect 99 overall rating in Madden NFL 2027, making it the first time in his 18-year career that he has reached the game’s exclusive ’99 Club.’

For now, the Rams have him till 2027, as he’d signed a two-year extension last year. But Stafford is in the twilight of his career, as he nears his 40s. He sure is an outlier, but the veteran quarterback is planning to slow down.

“It is year-to-year because I think it’s fair to the team, I think it’s fair to me, my family. I don’t want to sit there and say, OK, 24 months from now, I’ve got to be ready to play another football season,” Matthew Stafford said on Chris Long’s podcast. “I’m like, phew, that just seems like a lot. I know that I’m ready to play this year.

Meanwhile, the Rams have already prepped for the future. They drafted Ty Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving him time to develop under Stafford before he eventually takes over. It’s a big ask for a young quarterback, but he’ll get to learn from one of the best in the business.

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