Rapoport: Rams believe Matthew Stafford could play beyond 2026

Rapoport: Rams believe Matthew Stafford could play beyond 2026

Ty Simpson might be the quarterback of the future for the Los Angeles Rams, but he might have to wait longer than a year to ascend to the starting role.

While the Rams continue to work on a contract extension for Matthew Stafford, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted that L.A. thinks the reigning NFL MVP could stick around past the 2026 season. Stafford and the Rams are reportedly working on a contract extension "that will take care of him for next season and beyond." Rapoport added that the Rams "believe there is a real chance that he plays after 2026."

This is a considerable development, as it sheds light on the Rams' short- and long-term plans. There were rumors that Stafford could have retired after the 2025 season before he announced his return during his MVP acceptance speech. Then, many assumed Stafford would only be sticking around for the 2026 season given his age and potential health concerns as a 38-year-old who spent the entire 2025 training camp nursing a back injury.

Now, though, it sounds as if the Rams are looking at the Simpson-Stafford bridge as a two-year mentorship program. And for a rookie who only started 15 college games, getting an extra year behind Stafford and with head coach Sean McVay's tutelage could be huge.

Many other teams have tried to draft their quarterback successor at least a year before they needed to, with mixed results. Jordan Love sat two years behind Aaron Rodgers, who himself sat three years behind Brett Favre. All three quarterbacks panned out. That is the model the Rams will be hoping to emulate with Simpson and Stafford, and having Stafford in tow for more than just one season would take a lot of pressure off the rookie's short-term development.