New Matthew Stafford Rumors on Contract Scenarios, Retirement and Impact on Ty Simpson's Rams Future

The Los Angeles Rams could look to imitate the Green Bay Packers' transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love as they prepare for Ty Simpson to potentially succeed Matthew Stafford, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Saturday on SportsCenter.

The Rams announced Thursday that Stafford had been signed to an extension. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the quarterback is now set to receive $105 million over the next two years.

"The Rams and Matthew Stafford worked on this deal really for the last few months. Both sides get what they want," Fowler reported Saturday. "Matthew Stafford gets a boatload of guaranteed money; he's going to be pushing $500 million for his career by the end of this deal, which is crazy. And the Rams get him for two years, maybe longer. They're not taking 2028 off the table either, but right now he's got the two years locked in.

"That gives them sort of a Green Bay Packers plan like they had with Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, where if Stafford wants to move on after two years, he can do that. Retirement's been on the table for him in the past, so they can play [Simpson] when they want to, but they're going to have Stafford there as long as he wants. They can still do more one-year deals down the road, so both sides are comfortable with this."

Fowler concluded: "What's important to remember too, this last year the way Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford found more work under center, more tight ends, more blocking, that kept him healthy, that protected him, gave him a new outlook for the next few years."

Stafford, who turned 38 in February, is heading into his 18th season with the Rams after earning his first career MVP award in 2025.

He received the honor after pacing the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns while completing 65 percent of his passes with just eight interceptions.

After leading the Rams to a 12-5 regular-season record, Stafford carried the team as far as the NFC title game before his team was eliminated by the eventual champion Seattle Seahawks.

Stafford, who has considering the last few seasons taking his future with the Rams on a year-by-year basis, confirmed when accepting his MVP award in February he would be returning for the 2026 campaign.

The Rams seemingly acquired a potential successor for Stafford when they selected Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Rams coach Sean McVay made it clear at the time that Stafford would remain the team's starter going forward, and that Simpson would compete with Stetson Bennett IV to back up the reigning MVP.

Bennett and Simpson could both get some reps with the team's top offense this offseason as each quarterback makes the case to back up Stafford this fall.