After missing about half of the 2023 season due to a spinal contusion, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is 100 percent healthy and should be a full participant in training camp.
Stafford followed up his Super Bowl LVI run with a lackluster year as he and the offense just couldn’t stay healthy, leaving the Rams on the outside looking in at the playoffs. Now, the signal caller will be called upon to lift up the team after they allowed several of their veterans go in the offseason.
Joining Stafford is new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleuer, who will be working closely with the quarterback and Sean McVay on revamping the offense. Stafford and LaFleur haven’t gotten to work together for too long, but the latter’s been enjoying his time with Los Angeles’ QB1.
“Oh, it’s been awesome. He’s a great professional. You knew about him, not working with him, but obviously, talking with (Head Coach) Sean (McVay), knowing guys that worked with him in Detroit, you knew what kind of guy he was. He was almost undersold how good of a guy he is and how great of a teammate he is. Wants to be coached still at this age. He has so much knowledge. I always say these vets that have had so much experience and so much good work in this league, we can learn as much from them as they can learn from us. So it’s been a pleasure working with him and we’re just getting started with this thing.”
So far it sounds like things are going well between LaFleur and Stafford, who have a lot of work ahead of them to get Los Angeles’ offense back to the elite levels fans have been accustomed to. During the 2022 campaign, Stafford threw for 2,087 yards for 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Those numbers are not indicative of the quality of quarterback that Stafford is, so better health and an improved scheme should go a long way toward his production next season.
With training camp still over a month away, the pair can continue to work things out both on and off the field. Hopefully it’s a fruitful partnership that results in more wins for the Rams.
Sean McVay believes Matthew Stafford’s competitiveness fueled his return
After an injury-riddled season, rumors popped up that Stafford would consider retirement. However, Stafford himself quelled that noise quickly and announced he would be returning for 2023.
McVay believes that Stafford’s competitive nature is what fueled his return and that’s obviously good news for the organization and its fans.
