Securing his first NFL MVP award in 2025, Matthew Stafford started all 17 games for the Los Angeles Rams and led the league with 4,707 passing yards, a career-high 46 passing touchdowns against 8 interceptions, and helped the franchise secure second place in the NFC West while advancing to the NFC Championship Game. However, they fell short in the conference game against the Seattle Seahawks as they lost 31-27, but still, Stafford’s contributions remain unmatched. This is why negotiations around Matthew’s contract are now hitting an all-time high, as confirmed by head coach Sean McVay.

“100%. And that’s the norm,” said Rams HC Sean McVay on The Herd with Colin Cowherd podcast about tense contract negotiations. “I think the biggest thing you think about any of the close relationships that you have is if you can’t have a little bit of comfort in the conflict, but it’s all foundationally rooted in… I think one of the biggest breakthroughs in our relationship was having to go through some of the tough conversations that we had last off-season.”

In 2022, Matthew Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million extension deal. With his contract with the Los Angeles Rams coming to an end, Stafford has been negotiating for another extension. However, two years later, the team initially adjusted his 2022 extension to add $5 million. Not just that, the franchise also increased his 2025 roster bonus to manage his demands for more guaranteed money.

Following that, in February 2025, Stafford and the Rams agreed to a two-year, $84 million restructuring. The changes came after he considered trade options with the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders. However, for the last contract negotiation, the star QB and head coach Sean McVay faced quite a few conflicts, as revealed by McVay himself.

But the Rams HC was happy with how Stafford understood the requirements and reached a mutual agreement.

“Matthew and I have a relationship that I really value where we can have honest feedback,” said McVay in 2024. “There were some real conversations that existed that I think were really healthy for us to be able to move forward in the right direction.”

Matthew Stafford has been one of the standout performers for the Rams since his addition to the team in 2021. Over his five seasons with the team, the veteran QB racked up over 3,700 passing yards four times. In the 2022 season, Stafford ended with only 2,087.

As things stand, both sides have made “significant progress” on a deal that would likely keep him in Los Angeles for a few more years after the 2026 season. But what might complicate the current contract negotiations is the addition of rookie QB Ty Simpson.

Sean McVay shuts down the narratives surrounding Ty Simpson

The Los Angeles Rams used their first-round selection to draft rookie QB Ty Simpson as the 13th overall pick and immediately raised concerns surrounding 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford’s availability for the upcoming season. Many believed the Rams had already moved past their star quarterback.

However, head coach Sean McVay put an end to all the speculations by noting that the decision was made for the team’s future.

“Let’s not get it twisted. We’re trying to win right now. We’ve got decisions for the short and the long term,” said McVay on The Rich Eisen Show. “Sometimes leadership can be lonely. I am not gonna pretend to make perfect decisions, but everything that we do is what we believe is in the best intent for the collective.”

Amid this, McVay also expressed his wish to continue working with Matthew Stafford as long as the quarterback is willing to play. Given the demand, the 38-year-old can certainly complicate contract negotiations with a higher pay request. However, that remains to be seen.

For the Rams, adding Ty Simpson has strengthened their QB room for the future. Representing Alabama, Simpson recorded 3,948 passing yards with 28 touchdowns in 31 games played. So, if the negotiations fail, McVay and the Rams could have Simpson or Stetson Bennett as their starter from the 2027 season.