How Close is Rams QB Matthew Stafford to Retirement?
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and then made something clear: Matthew Stafford is not done.
Head coach Sean McVay said it plainly after the pick was made. “Let’s make one thing clear,” McVay told reporters. “This is Matthew’s team.”
That message carried weight because it came hours after the franchise’s most openly succession-minded move in years. Simpson, 23, was widely projected as a second-round talent. The Rams took him at 13. The selection turned heads across the league. But by Friday morning, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that Stafford and the Rams had made “significant progress” on a contract extension, one that could keep the quarterback in Los Angeles beyond the 2026 season.
General Manager Les Snead reinforced that message at the team’s pre-draft press conference. “Progress has been made,” Snead said. “No timeline per se, but don’t expect any drama.”
Stafford, 38, is already under contract for 2026 with a salary cap figure of $48.27 million. The discussion now centers on extending that deal, not replacing him. Snead told reporters that the Rams believe there is a real chance that Stafford will continue playing past next season.
The backdrop makes the situation unusual. Stafford just turned in the best statistical season of his 17-year career. He led the NFL in both passing yards, with 4,707, and touchdown passes, with 46 — a career high. He won the 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player award and earned First-Team All-Pro honors. The Rams went 12–5 in the regular season and reached the NFC Championship Game in Seattle, where they fell to the Seahawks, 31–27.
That run of performance, combined with the contract talks and the voluntary workouts Stafford showed up for this week, signals a player who does not view himself as finished. At the same time, the Rams clearly felt they had to begin thinking past him. The Simpson pick, obtained through a prior trade with Atlanta, was characterized by McVay as a move for “the short and the long term.”
Simpson arrives with limited starting experience. He started one season at Alabama, throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns against five interceptions. He sat behind Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young before earning the job. He acknowledged the expectations that come with a top-15 selection. “If I come in here and say I want to win Rookie of the Year, Matthew Stafford just won the MVP,” Simpson said at his introductory press conference. “That’s going to be a fail.”
Stafford was informed of the team’s decision to draft a quarterback before the pick was made, McVay and Snead confirmed. He reported for voluntary workouts this week as the negotiations continue. On the current roster, Simpson slots in behind Stafford as the backup quarterback.
Wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams remain on the team. Nacua also reported for voluntary workouts this week. Adams is under contract through 2026 after the Rams guaranteed his $6 million roster bonus at the start of the league year.