Matthew Stafford, Rams Haven't Discussed Surgery for Back Injury, Sean McVay Says

Surgery does not appear to be under consideration for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford as he deals with a back injury.

Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said on Monday that surgery hasn't been discussed yet:

Stafford did not practice on Monday as he continued to get treatment:

McVay first told reporters about Stafford's injury on July 22, when he said that the quarterback would be taking limited reps to start training camp because of "a little bit of soreness in his back."

Stafford remained sidelined throughout the first two weeks of camp, but ESPN's Adam Schefter said in an Aug. 5 episode of his podcast that he believed the quarterback's absence was "a total maintenance issue" and that Stafford could have played that day if needed.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Aug. 6 that Stafford had suffered an aggravated disc that had led to him receiving an epidural.

Rapoport noted at the time that the team still had "plans for him to be ready for Week 1."

Stafford, who turned 37 in February and is addressing his contracts on a year-to-year basis, agreed to renegotiate his deal to return to the Rams for a fourth season in 2025.

The quarterback has started all but three of the Rams' regular-season games over the last two seasons, but he was limited to just nine games during the 2022 campaign due in part to a spinal cord contusion.

That issue caused numbness in Stafford's legs and led to him to be sidelined for the end of the 2022 season, according to a previous report from Rapoport.

This injury history, and Stafford's position as one of the oldest players in the NFL, are likely influencing the Rams to be cautious with how quickly their star quarterback returns to the field ahead of his team's Week 1 start against the Houston Rams on Sept. 7.