The Los Angeles Rams guaranteed they would have their starting quarterback for at least five more years as they announced an extension with Matthew Stafford.
The four-year, $160 million deal was an expected outcome as Stafford’s first season in the organization went as well as possible for both parties after the blockbuster trade for the Detroit Lions a year ago.
With quarterback salaries continuing to rise each season, Stafford could have potentially made more money on the open market from a QB-needy team, but that may have cost him the chance to win another Super Bowl.
Stafford made it a priority to stick with the Rams because he enjoyed his time in L.A. and wanted to make sure he would be around for the future without jeopardizing the team’s ability to remain competitive, he said via Adam Teacher of ESPN:
“I just had so much fun playing for this team this year, playing for this organization, this coaching staff, and I wanted to make sure I was able to do this for a long time,” said Stafford, who recently agreed to the four-year extension worth $160 million with $135 guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“I obviously wanted to say thanks to the Rams for giving me that opportunity. It was a lot of hard work getting to this point. I’m just happy where we are and to know what the future looks like for me and for our team. It’s an exciting thing as a player to kind of know where you are going to be and be able to put some roots down and really go try to make something really special for a while.
“I was just trying to find something that felt good for both sides where we are able to continue to add players and pieces around me.”
This new contract ties Stafford to L.A. for the next five seasons when he will be 39, which would likely be through the end of his career.
In his first season with the Rams, Stafford threw for 4,886 yards with 41 touchdowns to 17 interceptions, a 67.2 completion percentage and a 102.9 passer rating.
The 34-year-old also led three straight game-winning drives in the postseason, including in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals to help clinch the title for the Rams.
Von Miller: ‘Hard to walk away’ from Rams
Heading into the offseason, the Rams made it known that their top priority was going to be re-signing Von Miller. After the instrumental role he played in their Super Bowl LVI victory, a return to L.A. made sense for both sides.
However, Miller walked away from the Rams when he was offered a six-year, $120 million contract — which acts closer to a three-year, $51 million contract — from the Buffalo Bills. The Bills had not even been rumored in connection with Miller, but a contract like that was hard to turn down for the two-time champion.
Miller revealed that his top choice entering free agency was staying with the Rams — and playing alongside Aaron Donald — but he knew that there were certain teams that could make him change his mind.
