New Matthew Stafford Contract Rumors Leak After Rams Draft Ty Simpson amid Sean McVay Controversy

While Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay cleared up any controversy surrounding his reaction to the team's decision to select quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the team still has a pressing matter to attend to regarding incumbent starter Matthew Stafford.

The 2026 season is the final year of Stafford's current contract, and the Rams are hoping to negotiate a new deal. According to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue, "The two sides have not yet fully agreed on Stafford's adjusted contract, although a league source said progress has been made."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport previously reported that Stafford and the Rams are "deep in discussions on a contract extension that will take care of him for next season and beyond, and they do believe there's a real chance he plays after 2026."

Still, Los Angeles opted to use its first-round pick to select its quarterback of the future. B/R's Brent Sobleski graded Simpson's selection a C. McVay went viral for what many assumed was displeasure with the pick.

Rodrigue reported that it seemed like McVay "was attempting to downplay the pick in general, with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford in mind. McVay wants to be respectful to Stafford, which he has since said publicly, and to avoid the impression that he has put a timer on the rest of Stafford's career." McVay later clarified that he was "a little grumpy" over something that didn't have to do with the selection of Simpson.

"No, McVay didn't have to go that far with his mannerisms to show Stafford that respect. Yes, he came off poorly," Rodrigue stated. "I have to think that McVay also could have been projecting some defensiveness about the pick in light of the instant reaction to it, and/or something personal could have happened behind the scenes (he alluded to this in a couple of interviews during the coverage of the second and third days of the draft)."

Rodrigue added that she is "certain, based on conversations with league and team sources plus a recent conversation with McVay, that he is very high on Simpson." Rams general manager Les Snead also has a relationship with Simpson's father and reportedly "even was among the voices who told Simpson he could go as early as the first round of this year's draft."

For now, it sounds like the plan is to let Simpson develop under Stafford for the next few years, but the Rams will have to figure out the veteran's contract for what could be the final years of his storied NFL career.