Matthew Stafford may be 38 years old and entering his 18th NFL season, but he has shown no signs of slowing down for the Los Angeles Rams.
The veteran is coming off his best season ever from a statistical standpoint, throwing for a league-best 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns en route to his first career NFL MVP Award.
During a recent episode of “4th&1 with Cam Newton,” the former Carolina Panthers star revealed that he has Stafford at the top of his quarterback rankings:
Current NFL TOP 10 QB List‼️👀 what’s yours⁉️ pic.twitter.com/qgCFKKN9FG
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) May 18, 2026
Newton offered high praise for Stafford, saying he has the “accolades to be the greatest quarterback ever.” While he lacks the individual honors of a Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Joe Montana, Stafford certainly has the talent to match up with almost any quarterback in NFL history.
He ranks sixth all-time with 64,516 passing yards and could potentially jump into the top five next season. He also places seventh with 423 passing touchdowns and is only two away from tying Philip Rivers for sixth place.
As Stafford has stated over the years, he is more concerned with helping the Rams get back to the Super Bowl than his individual success. After leading L.A. to a title in his first season with the team, he would like nothing more than to replicate that success this year.
Many believe that 2026 could be Stafford’s final season as a player, but Rams head coach Sean McVay recently said he would not be surprised if the three-time Pro Bowler decides to extend his career even longer than that.
Matthew Stafford welcomed Ty Simpson to Rams with funny text
The Rams have high hopes for Ty Simpson after selecting him with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he isn’t expected to make much of an impact this season with Stafford still playing at a high level.
Simpson revealed that he received a welcome text from Stafford, who teased him about playing his college ball with the Crimson Tide.
Stafford’s friendly banter with Simpson is another sign that the 38-year-old did not mind the Rams drafting his potential long-term successor at quarterback.
L.A. reportedly gave Stafford a heads-up about the pick, which helped ease any potential tension that may have arisen after the draft.
Simpson now finds himself in an outstanding situation, getting to learn from Stafford and head coach Sean McVay before taking the reins as Rams starting quarterback someday.