Matthew Stafford’s health had emerged as a key storyline coming into the 2025 season. During training camp, the veteran quarterback was slowed by a back injury later identified as soreness around an aggravated disc. The concerning issue in the early portion of training camp sidelined him through the preseason. The Los Angeles Rams adopted a cautious, day-to-day approach, monitoring recovery all the while.

On the Let’s Go podcast, when Jim Gray asked Stafford, “Talking about physicality, how’s your back?”

“Backs good. I’m doing well. I feel great, thank you. I had a couple of runs after yesterday, and I’m doing okay,” Stafford said. 

During Week 1, he completed 21 of 29 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown and crossed the 60,000 career passing yards milestone. In the following weeks, Matthew Stafford delivered a 298-yard, two-touchdown performance in a win over Tennessee.

For the Week 4 fixture, he completed 70.7% of his passes while throwing for 375 yards and three touchdowns and orchestrated a dramatic game-winning 88-yard touchdown drive that sealed the team’s victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Sean McVay, earlier in August, said, “He’s looked like the stud we know. From what I see, there are no restrictions, and he’s playing at a really high level. I’ve seen a guy that’s gotten better and better.”

At this stage, Stafford’s average yards per attempt have remained strong, and his arm strength appears intact. Analysts have noted that he doesn’t seem limited by the preseason back concerns.

Still, given Stafford’s age, the unpredictable nature of back injuries, the league demands long‐term durability. Load management and flexibility in his practice schedule will play a crucial role. 

Under Stafford’s leadership, the Rams are well-positioned 3-1 heading into the tougher stretch.

The key will be whether he can maintain consistency throughout the grind of the season and whether that back remains strong.

Matthew Stafford talks retirement with a strong start to the Rams’ season

On The Pat McAfee Show, Matthew Stafford reflected on the current stage of his career.

“I think you always try to be that way, but it’s obviously a little more evident at the moment. I got a lot of gray in this beard right here. So, I don’t know how much longer we’ll be doing it. But I do enjoy the heck out of it, man. With experience, I gain perspective on how much I love this stuff. And really missing time in training camp, man, it just gutted me that I wasn’t out there. So that’s a good sign for me to know that I’m still loving what I’m doing,” the 37-year-old said.

Acknowledging both his graying years and the fact that missing time early in camp hit him hard emotionally. His remarks fueled speculation about whether retirement looms on the horizon, even if he hasn’t committed to that. Stafford is a seasoned veteran who continues to produce at a high level going into this season. He has passed for 739 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions through the first few weeks of 2025. He has also completed 66.3% of his passes and recorded a 65.5 QBR.  

In the first game, he became just the tenth player in NFL history to surpass 60,000 yards in throwing. Despite having inadequate protection up front, Pro Football Focus gave him an “elite” 92.9 rating for that game because of his composure under pressure and lack of turnover-worthy throws.

He finished the 2024 season with 3,762 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, and league experts rated him as one of the best quarterbacks. Experts continue to praise his leadership, arm skill, and pocket knowledge, irrespective of the fact that advanced measures indicate some deterioration with age.

Although Stafford claims that he still enjoys competing, his tone implies that retirement may be closer than most people think. He might just make it through the season if he can stay healthy and continue to perform at this level.