Rams' Stafford, McVay Called Best QB-HC Duo in NFL by Rival Coach in New Poll for 2026 Season

The connection between Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and coach Sean McVay is unparalleled in the current NFL in the view of one rival coach.

"Stafford and McVay is now the best quarterback-coach duo in the league," they said to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Stafford was third in Fowler's annual positional rankings, and the NFL insider said some respondents questioned the 2025 MVP's individual value because of what's around him.

One coordinator elaborated on that point.

"The system helps him," they said. "He has an elite offensive coach and elite weapons. He's great, don't get me wrong. He has advantages that some of the other quarterbacks don't have."

Here's a look at the full top 10 list of quarterbacks ranked ahead of the 2026 season:

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
8. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
9. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
10. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Stafford is a prime example of how the right setting can make a huge difference for a player.

The 38-year-old was a somewhat polarizing talent during his tenure with the Detroit Lions.

Stafford consistently put up big numbers, and he generally garnered praise for his raw passing ability. An 0-3 playoff record over 12 seasons raised some questions, though. He had also been a Pro Bowler just once.

The skeptics don't have much ammunition anymore given what Stafford has achieved in Los Angeles. He has enjoyed both team success and some of the strongest individual years of his career. In 2025, he led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46), and he averaged 312 yards through the air in the Rams' three playoff contests.

▶️ Full Rams-Panthers Recap

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Eventually, Stafford will likely have a gold jacket and a bust in Canton, Ohio, and that was far from assured prior to his 2021 trade to the Rams. In time, he and McVay could also be remembered alongside some of the best QB/coach pairings in recent history.