LOS ANGELES — Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford made his first appearance on the training camp field Saturday, but instead of a red quarterback jersey he was in a black T-shirt. And despite expectations to the contrary, the veteran will be in street clothes for a while longer.
Stafford will miss at least another week of practice as he continues to recover from back soreness, head coach Sean McVay said Saturday after practice at Loyola Marymount University.
The original plan had been for Stafford, 37, to return to practice Monday. But McVay said he spoke out of turn when he told reporters that date Tuesday. And after speaking with Stafford, vice president of sports medicine Reggie Scott and Dr. Robert G. Watkins IV – the Rams’ spine surgeon – the team has decided to take a week-to-week approach with Stafford’s recovery.
“He’s doing really well, we have a really good plan in place,” McVay said. “Nothing that’s changed in terms of a setback. I probably spoke a little bit too soon. But the ultimate goal is Houston [in Week 1] and being mindful of that so we’ll take it a week at a time with that.”
Stafford has a history of back injuries. He suffered broken bones in his spine twice during his tenure in Detroit, then his 2022 season was cut short by a spinal cord contusion.
That history helps inform the Rams’ cautious approach this summer, but McVay said he remains confident that this won’t be a long-term issue.
“It does not worry me,” McVay said. “What I probably should have done was say we’re taking it a week at a time, but I don’t have any reason to be concerned based on the information that’s been given. And with that being said, I don’t think we can be smart enough with somebody like Matthew and I think it’s best for him, best for our football team.”
Prior to Saturday, Stafford had not been present on the practice field during training camp, even for Saturday’s walk through. And while there has been no setback, McVay said this was not a case of Stafford’s back taking longer to heal than expected.
“I would just say as you get the different opinions on what is the best way to allow him to be as healthy as possible for 17 games and then hopefully you earn the right to be able to, that thereafter you’re really saying, ‘OK, let’s really gain all of the information and we’ll take it a week at a time’ is kind of the approach we’re going to take,” McVay said.
“We do have some target goals in mind, but similar to last week what I don’t want to do is get ahead of myself and I think we have to be fluid and flexible and ultimately this is what’s best for Matthew and for our football team and we have to be ready to adjust and adapt.”