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Sarah Barshop
LOS ANGELES — While head coach Sean McVay did not have an update on quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s future with the Los Angeles Rams at his end of season news conference, he said he hoped there would be clarity “sooner than later” this offseason.
After the Rams’ divisional round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Stafford said he would “take some time to think about” his NFL future. When asked whether he still has football left in him, he said, “Sure feels like it.”
Last offseason, the Rams and Stafford worked through a similar scenario, eventually agreeing to an adjusted contract on the day the team reported to training camp.
“We don’t want to have that go on again,” McVay said. “I don’t think that’s good for anybody. I think sooner than later, being able to get that clarity. Understanding clear, open and honest communication.
“I think there’s a lot of love coming from our part. I think there’s a lot of appreciation coming from his part as well. And I think a lot sooner than later is an ideal scenario.”
When asked whether he could definitively say that unless Stafford retires, he would be playing for the Rams next season, McVay said, “we’ll talk about all those things at the appropriate time.”
“I know he’s playing really good football,” McVay said. “Obviously, I love him, love working with him. What he’s meant to our football team has been immeasurable in a positive way.”
McVay said “the quarterback is always the first thing in mind as it relates to how you move forward with the team” and when the Rams sit down after the season, they will discuss the next steps with Stafford.
McVay also brought up the rib injury Stafford played through toward the end of the season. On Wednesday, Stafford’s wife, Kelly, said on her podcast that Stafford cracked four ribs in Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers.
McVay said after that game against the 49ers, the Rams’ medical staff did imaging of Stafford’s ribs, but that “nothing showed up on that imaging.”
“It continued to kind of just irritate him, but it didn’t affect his ability to practice, anything play-related,” McVay said. “But he did have some irritation. And then before the Minnesota game when he did get an MRI scan there showed some stress reactions. That was what was communicated to me.”
McVay said the injury “didn’t limit [Stafford’s] ability to practice.” Stafford never appeared on the injury report following Week 15 and only missed practice time as a coach’s decision in Week 18 after the Rams had clinched the NFC West.
“He’s as tough as it gets,” McVay said. “It’s like anything else, as the season goes on, players accumulate things that they work through when you play as many games as they do.”
Stafford completed 65.8% of his passes for 3,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.
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