Sean McVay Announces Matthew Stafford Injury Update After Rams QB’s 4-Word Message

When Matthew Stafford checked into summer’s training camp, no one thought he would be on the sideline for this long. But for several weeks, that is where he remained. An aggravated disc in his back kept the 37-year-old quarterback out for much of the practice drills, raising old questions in Los Angeles about whether the Rams’ most critical player would be healthy enough to begin the 2025 season. For a team that had already endured the drama of Stafford’s well-being, each practice in his absence only seemed to cast an even darker shadow upon their Week 1 intentions.

However, that shadow was lifted finally when head coach Sean McVay chimed in. McVay did confirm Stafford is not on the team’s first injury report and will most likely start Sunday’s opener against the Houston Texans. ”I do believe that we’ll be at our best with him out there,” McVay said. The words provided relief across Rams camp, a clear signal that the team’s veteran leader will be on the field when it matters most. After weeks of monitoring, resting, and carefully ramping him up, the decision reflected trust in Stafford’s recovery and in the game plan built around him.

The Rams also know Stafford’s availability is only half the story. Safety begins on offense up front, and McVay did credit the work of left tackle Alaric Jackson, who recovered from blood clots. Jackson had been working individually throughout camp but had not yet practiced with the full team until late in August. His health against Houston could be just as important as Stafford’s, providing the stability needed to keep the quarterback upright.

Stafford, who is entering his 17th year with the NFL, is accustomed to managing back problems. Last month, he also confirmed the recent experience “crept up on me a little bit” during offseason rehab. As he complimented the Rams’ daily modus operandi of returning him slowly. “Backs are sometimes curious things,” he explained. “It’s not cut and dry what’s what and how you’re going to feel. So I really appreciate our team and our head coach and everybody taking a day-to-day approach with me doing everything they can to try and help me out.” That caution is based on experience because Stafford has had experience here before.

Stafford has been fighting back problems for some time now. Fractured bones in his back shortened his 2018 season after playing only eight games. A bruised spinal cord restricted him to nine games in 2022. And compelled Los Angeles to revisit its offense midway through the season. The Rams firsthand experienced how fast a promising season would rapidly fall apart without him, so McVay’s announcement was more than routine news.

Stafford’s 4 Words

When asked directly about his preparation for Week 1, the veteran quarterback said, “Oh, I’m going to go play the game.” The four words may have been simple. But they carried the weight of his career. Stafford has long been defined by toughness. This was his way of shutting doubt and assuring his teammates that he’s not tiptoeing onto the field, he’s all in.

That’s the kind of mentality required for an offense that still relies on him. Stafford’s presence instills calm the numbers can’t always deliver. His comment wasn’t to the press; it was to the huddle, a reminder their quarterback isn’t playing with anything to lose. But Stafford’s words don’t eliminate the risk. Every snap will be observed, every blow wondering whether the back will survive 17 games. But to Stafford, the risk was never anything new.

His four-word answer cemented his status as the Rams’ anchor, willing to absorb whatever it takes to keep them there. And Stafford has done that before, in 2018 he played through injured back. He suffered the injury after being tackled 11 times against Rams. “He is durable but does play with injuries. As it turns out, he had broken bones in his back,” O’Hara said.