Getty Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams.
This season took a dramatic turn for the Los Angeles Rams, seeing them overcome a 3-6 start to the season to finish 10-7, earning a playoff berth. Their journey ended in the Super Wild Card round, with a 24-23 loss to the Detroit Lions.
The 2024 season will be here soon enough, and one question loomed large even in the immediate aftermath of a playoff game.
Will quarterback Matthew Stafford return in 2024? He’s shut down retirement talk before.
He completed 69.4% of his passes for 367 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions in the loss. Stafford is also coming off a strong finish to the season, completing at least 70% of his passes and/or throwing multiple touchdowns in each of the last six games.
“That’s my plan right now. Yeah, my plan is to be back,” Stafford told reporters after the game. “You’re going have to deal with me for another year. So have fun with that.”
“We would’ve never been in this situation without Matthew Stafford’s leadership, his guidance, his resilience.”
Stafford — who is in the second year of a four-year, $160 million contract — had 3,965 passing yards on 62.6% completion with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season.
He also earned his second Pro Bowl selection.
Stafford had alluded to a potential return in a previous answer about his outlook on the team’s future. The Rams are set up for an eventful offseason with draft capital and cap space to address whatever areas they wish.
“Every team is different, right? You could ask me that question last year and nobody would have guessed we were sitting right here doing this right now,” Stafford said.”Next year it’ll be a bunch of new guys, I’m sure, like it is every single season. We’ll have to figure that out and figure that journey out when we get there.”
Stafford also had an injury scare during the game that he addressed postgame.
“Tried to run a double post, [Detroit] played a little bit of quarters, did a nice job kind of funneling it back to the backside safety. And then [I] threw it to [Cooper Kupp] underneath. Took a shot to the ribs and to the head. But felt fine. Came back in felt good at the end.”
Matthew Stafford Calls Out Rams’ Offense Stalls in Red Zone
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams boasted the eighth-best scoring offense this season. They also ranked fourth in red zone percentage and eighth in red zone touchdowns.
But, in Sunday’s loss, they were 0-for-3.
“There’s plays out there we could have had,” Stafford said. “Couple chances in the red zone, we didn’t score touchdowns. And in a game like this, against an offense like that, that’s playing at that clip, you’re going to need to score touchdowns when you get down there.
“Our defense did a great job in the second half holding them down. But we just didn’t make enough plays in the red zone.”
It didn’t help that a Rams defense that allowed the 11th-fewest touchdowns and the 15th-lowest conversion rate in the red zone allowed the Lions to go 3-for-3, though all three were in the first half.
And only one of those scores came via former Rams quarterback Jared Goff’s right arm.
Matthew Stafford: Lions Fans ‘Should Be Proud’ of Jared Goff
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams.
Reporters asked Stafford about the chants for Goff during the game (and in the locker room) and if his name ever rang out in his former home stadium that way. After joking about not remembering due to his age – he turns 36 years old on February 7 – Stafford praised Goff’s play.
Goff finished the game with 277 passing yards on 81.4% completion in the game, throwing just that one touchdown but with zero interceptions.
“I almost hope they would [cheer Goff], right? … He’s their quarterback,” Stafford said. “He’s playing great, he led him to a win today. I’m happy for him. I thought he played excellent today. He’s leading an offense that’s playing at a really good clip right now, and they should be proud of him. They should be cheering for him.”
He also wasn’t concerned with the fans’ boos towards him in his return.
“It was a playoff game. I’m not surprised that they were excited about cheering for their team. And I’m not too worried about anybody’s personal feelings towards me that was sitting in the stands.”