Former Detroit Lions and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has found himself in the middle of plenty of retirement and trade talk following the Rams’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, January 19, in a 28-22 spread. With the Rams’ season over and the postseason officially here, the franchise quarterback is looking to the future.
As soon as the Eagles game ended, Stafford contacted his wife, Kelly, as she reveals in a January 22 episode of her “Timeout” podcast.
Former Lions QB Matthew Stafford on His Future in the NFL
Stafford will turn 37 years old on February 7, which makes him one of the older quarterbacks in the league. Speaking on “Timeout,” Kelly revealed that she would “have a really hard time” if Matthew decided to retire this season and that she isn’t giving him her input on the important decision.
“That is going to be solely his decision,” she said, adding that his next move is thinking hard about that decision. “I’m not going to pressure him. I’m here to listen.”
She added that after the win, “He texted me and he was like, ‘We’ll talk about it.’ I was like, ‘You talk, I’ll listen.’ As much as he wants to make it a joint decision, he has to make it. I don’t want him to resent me and I want it to be fully his own.”
As for the timeline for his decision, Kelly said he’s “going to take time” and “figure it out.” She added that Matthew will “have to figure it out somewhat soon because the Rams need to know.”
After the Eagles game ended, reporters asked Stafford about his future with the Rams and in the NFL, in general. His response was that he has to “take some time to think about it.”
“I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball,” he added. When asked if he has football left in him, he replied, “Sure feels like it.”
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay Talks Matthew Stafford Retirement
During a Tuesday, January 22 press conference, Sean McVay also talked about Stafford’s future, saying that, “We’ll talk about all those things at the appropriate time. I know he’s playing really good football.”
“Obviously, I love him and love working with him,” McVay added per ESPN. “What he’s meant to our football team has been immeasurable in a positive way. What we’ll do is we’ll continue to look at…the quarterback is always the first thing in mind as it relates to how you move forward with the team.”
McVay continued, saying that he believes the former Lions quarterback is still “playing really good football.” The coach also went on to praise Stafford, saying that he “shines the brightest on the biggest stages” and always knocks it out of the park during playoff games.
It’s true that it’s one thing to be a good quarterback, but to be a solid quarterback in high-pressure situations, such as the playoffs, take one to the next level. In the Eagles game, Stafford’s 161 fourth-quarter passing yards were his most of the season, showing how he can perform under pressure.
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Ex-Lions QB Matthew Stafford’s Wife Announces His Next Career Steps