Rams QB Matthew Stafford declines to say if he’ll return for 2026 – Orange County Register

SEATTLE – Coming off the Rams’ emotional, 31-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game, quarterback Matthew Stafford declined to say whether or not he planned to return for an 18th NFL season.

Stafford put together his best game of the postseason, completing 22 of 35 passes for 374 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. But he was not able to come up with a third game-winning, fourth-quarter drive. Instead, he threw two incompletions at the goal line to turn the ball over on downs with 4:54 to play, before only being able to run two plays before running out of time on the final possession of the game.

A finalist for the league’s MVP award, Stafford, 37, was asked to summarize his 17th season and whether or not he planned to be back for the 2026 campaign.

“I can’t generalize six months of my life 10 minutes after a loss. So, appreciate the guys in this locker room a whole helluva lot,” Stafford said. “Everybody that helped me and helped our team be as successful as we were this year. And that’s all I’ll answer for you.”

Stafford has one year left on the contract he renegotiated with the Rams last winter. Despite an aggravated disc in his back that kept him out for much of training camp, Stafford played every game in 2025 and had one of his best statistical seasons. He finished the 17-game campaign having thrown for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Head coach Sean McVay said the Rams want him back in 2026 if he decides to play another season.

“Yeah, if he wants to play,” McVay said. “You’ll have to ask him. We’ve been totally present. I know that if he wants to, he’s still playing at a pretty damn good clip. I mean, he’s the MVP of the league and if he’s not, I got respect for everybody else but this guy played at a clip that’s just different.”

Turner strains calf

Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner left the second half of the Rams’ loss Sunday with what the medical staff believes was a calf strain.

Turner left the game in the third quarter, with the Rams announcing he was experiencing cramps. But he received an I.V. of fluid in the locker room, ate food and tried out a compression sleeve on his leg, all to no avail, leading the Rams to believe the injury was more serious.

“Tried to push off and I couldn’t push off,” Turner said. “If there was any way for me to be out there with those guys, I would have. … At that point, you just sit back and you try to lead the best that you can and so if I couldn’t use my legs and my hands to be able to help this team win, I figured I’d use my voice. And tried the best that I could, and those guys fought.”

Receiver Jordan Whittington also left the game with a chest injury.