Matthew Stafford, a former Detroit Lions quarterback, will return to Detroit on Sunday, September 8, to face the Los Angeles Rams in the first game of the 2024 NFL season. Stafford is under contract with the Rams until 2026, but one NFL analyst feels his time as the franchise quarterback could end sooner.
Rams Could Be a ‘Top Landing Spot’ For Dak Prescott
In a September 5 story on the best 2025 NFL free agency landing locations for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, writer and NFL analyst Kristopher Knox argues that Prescott might sign with the Rams heading into the 2025 NFL season.
Knox selected the Rams as the second most likely landing location for Prescott, trailing only the Las Vegas Raiders.
“The Los Angeles Rams aren’t an obvious suitor for Prescott right now because they still have Matthew Stafford under contract until 2026.” “However, Stafford’s contract situation will become very interesting after this year,” Knox said. “When Stafford agreed to restructure his deal in July, he essentially surrendered his 2025 guarantees to secure more guaranteed money upfront.”
In July of this year, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero stated on X of Stafford’s contract, “Effectively, it’s a one-year, $40 million deal. He gave up his remaining 2025 guarantees. “Play this season, and then all sides will reassess.”
“If the 36-year-old Stafford stays healthy and plays well this season, he and general manager Les Snead may reassess the sensibility of a new long-term contract,” Knox told ESPN. “There’s a slim possibility, though, that Stafford’s assessment leads to a retirement decision.”
If Stafford does not return to Los Angeles in 2025, Knox predicts that the Rams “will immediately become a top landing spot for Prescott.”
“The Rams have a playoff-caliber roster, a quarterback-friendly coach in Sean McVay and enough financial flexibility to make a competitive contract offer,” according to him.
On August 12, Stafford appeared on the “Pardon My Take” podcast to discuss his retirement intentions and how long he intends to play. Based on his response, he is not ready to stand down after this season.
“I appreciate this game,” Stafford remarked. “It’s given me a lot. I hope I have three or four more [seasons] in me. We will see. Every year is a new year. But I feel good.”
Matthew Stafford prepares to ‘feel the crowd’ at Ford Field against the Detroit Lions.
Stafford and McVay spoke with reporters before the Los Angeles Rams’ practice on Wednesday, September 4. They talked about returning to Ford Field and what kind of crowd response Stafford expects from the Detroit Lions this time around. Stafford, of course, played at Ford Field on January 14th of this year in a playoff game that the Lions won.
“I feel the crowd 100 percent,” Stafford added. “Motivational factor. Love it. I want to hear it all. I want to smell it. I want it to feel like football. That is a component of football, especially attending an away game. “That stuff just motivates me.”
He went on to say, “I’m going to be one more game comfortable being an opponent on that field than I was last year.
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