Why Matthew Stafford's $55M Rams extension changes everything
Rams reward MVP Matthew Stafford with massive new extension.
Why Matthew Stafford's $55M Rams extension changes everything originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Few outcomes felt more inevitable than the Los Angeles Rams keeping Matthew Stafford under contract beyond 2026, but the actual terms still raised eyebrows around the league on Thursday.
The reigning NFL MVP and his team finalized a one-year extension that can climb to $60 million with incentives, building on a deal that already had one season left. The base value sits at $55 million, with two years and up to $105 million now remaining on Stafford's contract. That moves the 38-year-old into the same tier as quarterbacks earning more than $50 million per season, an unthinkable benchmark for a player of his age a few seasons ago, approximately $150,685 per day.
Why the Rams chose to invest heavily in their quarterback ahead of Super Bowl LXI Super Bowl LXI is scheduled for SoFi Stadium in February, the same venue where Stafford led the Rams to their last championship during the 2021 season. He will turn 39 exactly one week before kickoff. There was real chatter earlier this offseason that Stafford could retire, but he ended that speculation in February while accepting his MVP award.
"I'll see you guys next year," he said . His 2025 numbers explain why the front office moved aggressively. Stafford threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns against just eight interceptions on his way to MVP honors.