Matthew Stafford in Talks for Contract Extension, Could Play Beyond 2026 Season

The Los Angeles Rams made a massive move for their future last night, taking QB Ty Simpson No. 13 overall and designating him as the long-term replacement for Matthew Stafford. The question immediately became, "How long until Stafford calls it quits?"

At 38 years of age, Stafford is no spring chicken and has far more years behind him than in front of him. With his accumulated injuries, it's doubtful that he plays into his mid-40s like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers.

But NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that the Rams are already in "deep discussions" with Stafford over a contract extension that would lead him into the twilight of his career. Per the report, the team believes that there is a chance that he plays beyond the 2026 season.

Money where the mouth is

It certainly seems like the Rams want to give Ty Simpson the same kind of treatment that the Green Bay Packers gave Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers before him: Sit behind an aging QB who was still playing at a high level for 2-3 years before designating him the starter once that veteran finally calls it a career.

It worked to perfection in Green Bay twice, so it might make sense that the Rams believe that it could work for them too.

That being said, investing in their future at QB now at the same time that they have a legitimate Super Bowl window open with Stafford and a slew of young stars that they haven't had to invest a ton of money into is supremely risky.

The Rams might have sent themselves up for another decade of strong QB play, but if the next two years aren't as good as last year, people are going to have some serious gripes with how this process played out.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 2:02 PM.