Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford announced he plans to play again in 2026, revealing the decision during his acceptance speech at Thursday’s NFL Honors after being named the 2025-26 NFL MVP. Speaking from the stage with his four daughters beside him, Stafford told them he’s looking forward to hearing fans cheer the team next season and joked he hopes he won’t be back at the awards show but preparing for another game at SoFi.
Stafford put up a league-best 3,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns across 17 games, with just eight interceptions, performances that earned him his first MVP. Backstage, he said the choice had been on his mind for a long time, noted he finished the year healthy and felt supported by teammates and coaches in the crowd — factors that helped him decide to return.
He won the award by a razor-thin margin, receiving 24 first-place votes to New England’s Drake Maye’s 23 — the tightest MVP result since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair split the honor in 2003. Questions about retirement had swirled after Stafford dealt with back pain in training camp and was later diagnosed with a degenerating disc, and speculation increased following the Rams’ 31-27 NFC Championship loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Rams coach Sean McVay, emotional after the defeat, initially replied to a retirement question by saying, “Yeah, if he still wants to play,” and later made clear he wants Stafford back while respecting the quarterback’s need to weigh his options. Despite the offseason uncertainty that followed the championship loss, Stafford used the MVP stage to confirm his intention to suit up again next year.
Fan take: Stafford’s return gives the Rams and the league continuity at a marquee position, preserving one of the sport’s most productive veteran quarterbacks. For fans, it means another season of high-stakes competition and the potential for more memorable playoff runs that keep interest and narratives alive across the NFL.
