Matthew Stafford’s recent stretch hasn’t looked like a quarterback running on fumes. In 2024, he posted 3,762 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He had the Rams back in the playoff hunt with a 10-7 record. But that doesn’t mean questions aren’t being asked. Because at 37, everything is fragile, even when it’s still working. The cliff might not be visible, but it’s there. And that gray space? That’s where the Rams and the rest of us are sitting.

On the July 5 episode of Check the Mic with Steve Palazzolo, PFF analyst Sam Monson hit on a growing tension. He said, “Stafford is now at the age, 37 years old, where quarterbacks used to decline badly. This was the end for Joe Montana. This was the end for Eli Manning.” It’s a heart-wrenching reality. These are not just names, they’re benchmarks. Quarterbacks who hit 37 and suddenly couldn’t outrun the ghosts of their own greatness.

There’s only one exception. GOAT Tom Brady! Monson didn’t hesitate to point it out, “Then Tom Brady comes along with his avocado ice cream and his water and his, you know, weird band exercises. And suddenly he’s able to play like a superstar until he’s 45. I think basically he quit just because he got bored, not because he couldn’t play anymore.” Brady changed the rules. But Stafford? He’s not on the TB12 plan. He’s taken more punishment, endured more down years, and played through far more chaos.

After making all the comparisons, the analyst ended the discussion with a hard statement. “Is 37, 38, 39 still an area where you need to start thinking this guy could be done any year now? Because that’s where Stafford is right now. He’s at least at the beginning of the period where any year it can just stop happening.” No injury needed. No massive drop-off required. Just one day, it could all stop working, and that’s what makes this stretch such a high-wire act.

The Rams have built a 2025 roster that can compete if Stafford holds. Kyren Williams is ascending. Puka Nacua is already a star. And Sean McVay has found a way to retool. But none of it matters without No. 9 healthy. And that’s the whole point, Stafford is still good. Just not guaranteed.

Analyst predicts a Hall of Fame berth for Matthew Stafford

Let’s say Monson’s theory plays out. Stafford walks away after 2025, healthy or hurt, doesn’t matter. But that will mark the start of the Hall of Fame debate. And make no mistake, it’ll be messy. Rich Eisen recently tackled it head-on during The Rich Eisen Show.

He said, “The numbers I have given, to me, makes it a no-brainer. You can say ‘stat compiler’ but he was doing it for one of the worst teams in the NFL and stuck it out to the point where he said ‘I need to go somewhere else,’ and then as soon as he got somewhere else, he got the ring.” Matthew Stafford’s resume isn’t flashy. It’s gritty. Twelve seasons in Detroit with little support. No MVPs. No All-Pro nods. But the volume was still off the charts.

He’s thrown for over 56,000 yards (11th all-time), 357 touchdown passes (12th all-time), and owns one of the highest fourth-quarter comeback totals in NFL history. He’s also got a Super Bowl ring, won in his first season in LA with a competent roster around him.

Eisen then made his strongest comparison. “He’s got better stats than Marino and he’s got a ring. How does that not (get you in)?” And he’s right. Dan Marino is an icon, but he never won a title. Stafford has the numbers and the hardware. Maybe not in the most glamorous way, but does that even matter? Critics point to Stafford’s lack of Pro Bowls or signature moments.

But those people forget that Matthew Stafford has as many Super Bowl rings as Aaron Rodgers and more postseason wins than several other modern greats. And he did it after spending a decade with the Lions, where such accolades are sparse. In a world that inducted Eli Manning largely on narrative and clutch, Matthew Stafford might deserve more than just a discussion. He might deserve a bronze bust.