Matthew Stafford’s future remains the defining question facing the Los Angeles Rams. Despite still playing at an elite level, the veteran quarterback is weighing whether his body, mind, and family life can handle another NFL season after a physically demanding year. As speculation around retirement continues to build, head coach Sean McVay offered a clear update on where the team stands and how much patience they’re willing to give their franchise quarterback.

“If that’s something that he wants to do, the answer is absolutely yes,” McVay said on Stafford’s return. “I think what’s great is he’s going to take his time, talk with Kelly and the girls, and see what’s best. But man, he’s still playing at an incredible level; our hope is that he does. But I think with respect to his timetable and ability to be able to communicate with you guys whenever he feels ready to make that announcement, we’ll let him be able to do that.”

Stafford, who will turn 38 on Feb. 7, has been open about how demanding his routine has become. Sharing the nitty-gritty details of just that, he has publicly pushed back on the idea of setting a deadline.

Recently, the Rams quarterback explained how his days often start at five in the morning just to squeeze in three hours of rehab before meetings even begin. Moreover, the 37-year-old has openly described the weekly toll of leading a team in the City of Angels, calling it a battle with constant “little aches and pains” that never fully go away.

Because of that grind, Stafford is not rushing anything. “When I’m ready to figure that out, I’ll be ready to figure that out,” he said recently. “That moment isn’t right now.”

He stressed that retirement will come down to a “physical, mental, and emotional” decision. And of course, as McVay mentioned, Stafford’s decision centers heavily on family. Stafford continues to weigh everything alongside his wife, Kelly Stafford, and their children, keeping their well-being at the forefront.

That family-first mindset was especially evident in the days following the Rams’ 31–27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. When Stafford returned home in the early hours of January 26, the disappointment of falling short lingered, but his focus immediately shifted elsewhere. According to Kelly Stafford, he quietly went into his daughters’ room around 2:30 a.m. to kiss them goodnight, a small, private moment that reflected where his headspace truly was as questions about his future began to swirl.

“Oh, it’ll be a lot. It’ll be a lot that goes into it,” Stafford said Monday on SiriusXM’s Let’s Go podcast. “It’s a physical, a mental, and emotional decision, a personal and a family decision, as well. So, we’ll figure all that kind of stuff out with some time.”

Stafford also made it clear that his hesitation has nothing to do with dissatisfaction on the field. “I know I had a ton of fun playing football this season and had so much fun playing for the Rams,” he said. “So when I’m ready to figure that out, I’ll be ready to figure that out. That moment isn’t right now. I have so much more time, I feel like, to reflect on just the people and the season that we just had. I want to appreciate that and give it the time that it deserves before I start thinking personally about what’s next for me and my family and me.”

Kelly Stafford has echoed that same pull between football and family. “Retirement sounds great, I’m not gonna lie,” she admitted to E! News last year. “He’s been at this for 16 years. But he’s a dad, and that’s probably his favorite job. He misses his kids during the season.”

The emotional weight of that balance was highlighted once again when Kelly shared Nest camera footage on Instagram showing Stafford checking on his daughters after the loss, writing, “After leaving everything out on that field and coming up short, at 2:30 a.m., this was Matthew.” The following morning, the couple surprised their daughters, Sawyer and Chandler, both 8, Hunter, 7, and Tyler, 5, with a box of doughnuts and a handwritten note thanking them for being “the inspiration for Daddy’s incredible year.”

Still, the message from the Rams’ head coach was unmistakable. If Stafford decides he has one more season left in him, the Rams remain fully committed to him. McVay even doubles down on that reassurance.

Sean McVay is keeping “fingers-crossed” on Matthew Stafford’s return

This season, with Matthew Stafford under center, the Rams looked like a Super Bowl-caliber team. He led them to the NFC Championship Game, putting together another dominant season while carrying the offense. Stafford threw for 4,707 yards, paced the league with 46 touchdown passes, and limited mistakes with only eight interceptions.

That production is a major reason why retirement chatter has been met with resistance around the league. Stafford finished the year playing at an MVP-caliber level, leading the NFL’s top-scoring offense and guiding a roster that remains largely intact heading into 2026. The Rams are not facing an exodus of key offensive contributors, which only strengthens the case for continuity if Stafford chooses to return.

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Because of that reality, Sean McVay made the team’s position clear on Monday.

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed like you guys that he still wants to go play,” McVay said, via Greg Beachem of the Associated Press.

However, McVay also acknowledged why this decision cannot be rushed, as he understands what Stafford has given to the Rams and why the veteran deserves space.

“He deserves as much time as he needs,” McVay said. “We spend a lot of time together. I’m hopeful, but with respect to him, [we] haven’t set any sort of timetable. I don’t get the sense he wants to let it drag on either, and then we’ll just kind of see how he’s feeling.”

Former NFL quarterback and NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms also weighed in on the debate, pushing back against the idea that Stafford should even be thinking about retirement right now. “(The Rams)’re in the window, in a big-time way,” Simms said. “They’re here to stay for the next few years with the way their team is built. If I was Matthew Stafford and the way he’s playing, I certainly wouldn’t be thinking about retiring or anything like that.”

McVay’s own frustration with the constant speculation boiled over when he was pressed on the topic earlier this postseason. “If he still wants to play. What the hell kind of question is that?” McVay fired back. “We’ve been totally present. I know if he wants to, he’s still playing at a pretty damn good clip. I mean, he’s the MVP of the league. If he’s not, I mean, I got respect for everybody else, but this guy played at a level that’s just different.”

Meanwhile, the backup plan is far from ideal for the Rams. Jimmy Garoppolo currently sits next in line, and the Rams clearly do not want to enter the 2026 season with him as the starter. Although they hold two first-round picks, this draft class lacks depth at quarterback, making a clean solution harder to find.

Contract dynamics quietly sit in the background as well. Stafford is scheduled to earn $40 million in 2026, and while both sides have operated on a year-to-year understanding, a season of this caliber only reinforces why the Rams are content to reassess when Stafford is ready, not before.

So for now, Stafford is moving at his own pace, and the Rams are waiting. Until a decision comes, all eyes in the City of Angels remain fixed on what happens next.