Matthew Stafford lands a one-year, $55 million extension months after his first MVP
The deal ties Stafford to Los Angeles through 2027 and puts him in the $50M-per-year club of NFL quarterbacks.
Matthew Stafford signed a one-year, $55 million extension on Wednesday, three months after winning his first NFL MVP. The deal keeps the 38-year-old quarterback in Los Angeles through the 2027 season at a per-year average that puts him alongside Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen at the top of the QB market.
What does the contract actually look like?
Stafford's existing deal had one year left at $35 million for 2026. The extension adds one year (2027) at $55 million, with restructuring on the 2026 payment that brings his total guaranteed earnings on the deal to $105 million across the next two seasons. The deal includes a no-trade clause, a no-tag clause, and a $20 million roster bonus due on the third day of the 2027 league year.
Why now?
Stafford won 2025 MVP in a near-unanimous vote after leading the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and a career-best 46 TDs against 8 INTs. He had floated retirement during the 2024 offseason; the 2025 season removed any doubt about his current level of play. The Rams' Super Bowl LXI window is wide open with him under contract, and the extension was the team's strongest single commitment of the offseason.
How does this affect the Rams' cap?
The extension creates approximately $20 million in 2026 cap relief through bonus restructuring. The Rams used the room to sign Davante Adams in March and have approximately $14 million remaining for late-summer additions. Sean McVay's offense returns essentially intact: Stafford, Puka Nacua, Adams, Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams. The deal locks in the core through 2027.
What's the succession plan?
The Rams drafted Ty Simpson 28th overall in the 2026 draft. The Alabama product is the long-term answer at quarterback if Stafford retires after 2027. The contract structure was designed with that succession in mind: Simpson develops behind Stafford through his rookie deal, then takes over in 2028. Multiple sources told ESPN that retirement after 2027 remains the working internal expectation.
Where does Stafford rank now?
He joins a tight cluster of QBs above $50 million per year: Mahomes ($63.5M average), Allen ($55M average), Lamar Jackson ($52M average), Burrow ($55M average), and now Stafford. The MVP and the high efficiency made the number defensible. The 38-year-old age made the one-year structure necessary. Both sides got what they wanted in a deal that the Rams view as their next-best move after the Adams signing.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Sources: Rams' Matthew Stafford lands 1-year, $55M extension
- NFL.com: Rams, Stafford agree to extension after MVP season
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