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What is going on with Matthew Stafford? That's the question on every Los Angeles Rams fan's mind right now during training camp. It was reported that Stafford is dealing with a back injury. Fans are concerned for Stafford, especially since the quarterback hasn't practiced with the team yet. After missing the last two practices, head coach Sean McVay announced that Stafford will be going through another workout on Saturday.
“Hopefully [his back] responds a little bit better,” McVay told Sarah Barshop of ESPN.
Stafford's injury has been the main talking point amongst Rams fans in the last month or so, and for good reason. The 37-year-old quarterback has been instrumental in the team's success in the last few years. With Stafford at the helm, the Rams have enjoyed playoff success, including a Super Bowl title in 2022.
The last few years have been kind to Stafford, despite his age. Save for an injury-riddled 2022 season where he played just nine games, the Rams quarterback has played essentially the entire season, occasionally sitting out a game or two. Last season, Stafford played in 16 of the 17 Rams games, throwing for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns, while throwing just eight interceptions. He led the Rams to the Divisional Round, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Stafford's back injury was reported just before training camp started a few weeks ago. Since then, there's been a lot of mixed reports about the Rams quarterback's recovery. Last week, Stafford threw 68 passes in a workout where he had no limitations in what he could attempt, but did not participate in jog-throughs and team practice.
When asked about whether surgery is an option for the Rams quarterback, McVay said that they have not had that discussion yet.
“I haven't gone down that road yet in terms of those types of conversations,” McVay said. “There's been a lot of conversations about what's the best method of how we want to approach it. That hasn't been something that comes up.”
Should Stafford not be able to go in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is the expected starter. Stetson Bennett will be Garoppolo's backup in that hypothetical scenario.
