Matthew Stafford Injury Update, Latest Rumors on Rams QB amid Tight Timeline to Return amid Playoffs

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will play in Sunday's NFC Divisional Round showdown against the Chicago Bears after suffering a sprained index finger in Saturday's 34-31 win over the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Wild Card Round.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Rams quarterback injured the finger on a pass attempt in the first half. He nevertheless didn't miss an offensive snap and finished 24-of-42 for 304 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

▶️ Full Rams-Panthers Recap

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Stafford, in his 17th season in the NFL, threw for an NFL-high 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns during the regular season.

The veteran signal-caller had a decent season in 2024, though it wasn't quite up to his standards. He threw for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, enough to lead Los Angeles to a 10-7 finish. He and the Rams won their wild-card matchup against the Minnesota Vikings but came up short against the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round. He's bounced back well with an MVP-caliber year in 2025.

He spent much of the offseason dealing with an injury, as Stafford was sidelined for most of training camp because of an aggravated disk in his back. He practiced for the first time on Aug. 18, but there were still questions about whether he'd be able to start the regular season.

Ultimately, Stafford was able to overcome the back injury and was on the field by Week 1.

Now, he'll look to recover quickly from his recent injury and get back to aiding the Rams in their quest for another championship.

Should the injury wind up becoming a bigger issue on Sunday, the team would likely turn to veteran Jimmy Garoppolo if Stafford is unable to play.