Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said that he had been playing through a rib injury “for some time” after losing to the Eagles in the divisional round, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.
Stafford’s wife, Kelly, revealed on her podcast that he cracked four ribs in Week 15 in a 12-6 win over the 49ers, though the 16-year veteran didn’t leave the game. He played every offensive snap in the Rams’ next two games before sitting out in Week 18 with the team’s playoff seeding already locked in. Stafford returned to the field in the playoffs and completed both games despite aggravating his rib injury in Philadelphia.
Stafford has typically been durable throughout his career, starting at least 15 games in eight of the last 10 years, that’s partially due to his willingness to play through injuries. He’ll be 37 years old when the 2025 season starts, which will naturally bring about retirement speculation this offseason. However, Stafford has indicated that he’ll be back next season, and head coach Sean McVay has made it clear that Stafford will be his quarterback as long as he’s in the NFL.
The former Lion is currently set to take up just under $50MM of the Rams’ 2025 salary cap, currently the fifth-highest cap hit in the NFL. Los Angeles could lower that number with an extension for Stafford, who is signed through the 2026 season, but the team’s front office has adopted a year-to-year approach to their veteran signal-caller. They do have to start thinking about Stafford’s successor, either through a draft selection or another McVay reclamation project in free agency.