Sarah Barshop
LOS ANGELES — As Sean McVay stood on the podium outdoors Loyola Marymount College to reply questions initially of coaching camp, the Los Angeles Rams head coach advised reporters that quarterback Matthew Stafford was coping with again soreness and would miss the primary week of follow.
The Rams needed to be good with Stafford's again even on the expense of some coaching camp reps, McVay stated, as a result of “in the end, it is about having him really feel pretty much as good as potential mentally, bodily, [and] emotionally going into 12 months 17.”
Now, six weeks later, the Rams and Stafford are hopeful they've gotten to that time — even when the trail was longer than initially thought — as they put together to host the Houston Texans to open the season Sunday (4:25 ET, CBS).
At age 37, Stafford is coming into his fifth season in Los Angeles. This offseason, as McVay and Stafford deliberate for the yr forward, they discovered methods to maintain him as contemporary as potential by adjusting his schedule through the early phases of the offseason program.
Led by Reggie Scott, the Rams' vp of sports activities drugs and efficiency, the workforce deliberate a modified coaching camp schedule for Stafford and different veteran gamers to keep away from “unnecessarily pushing the envelope from a sports activities efficiency perspective the place guys really feel worn down earlier than you've got even performed certainly one of these 17 [games] that you just're assured,” McVay stated.
Finest laid plans needed to change after Stafford aggravated a disk in his again whereas coaching through the break between OTAs and coaching camp. Stafford stated there wasn't one incident however slightly “one thing that crept up on me just a little bit.”
Within the three weeks of follow Stafford has participated in since his return, he has impressed his coaches with how shortly he bought snug on the sphere.
“He seems to be like Matthew Stafford to me,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur stated. “The good half is he is simply again on the market with the fellows doing stuff he loves, working at a world class stage. If I did not know any higher, he seems to be like Matthew Stafford. It has been enjoyable to have him again.”
ONE OF MCVAY'S targets after the 2024 season was to determine tips on how to give Stafford a contemporary begin to the season, just like how the quarterback felt going into the playoffs the previous two seasons. Stafford did not must play within the 2023 or 2024 common season finales after the Rams had clinched playoff spots.
In these two playoffs (three video games), Stafford had six passing touchdowns and nil interceptions. In line with ESPN Analysis, solely Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen has extra passing touchdowns (eight) with out an interception over that span.
This offseason, that seemed like Stafford spending a number of the offseason program doing his work from home, the place he has a fitness center and entry to your entire Rams' movie system. The strategy allowed him to spend extra time together with his household and nonetheless get collectively together with his teammates when he wanted to throw.
“There are some monotonous components of the offseason program which can be very mandatory for lots of men, however I do not suppose you pigeonhole your self right into a one measurement suits all strategy,” McVay stated. “…With Matthew, I feel that served him nicely. You get a while with your loved ones and exquisite little women, greater than you'd in any other case. I feel simply to maintain him feeling like, ‘Hey man, it is enjoyable, it is partaking.'
“He loves being out right here training and competing after which does he want to listen to a few of our customary two by two formations firstly? No, he would not have to be there for these sorts of issues. Selecting and selecting our spots — that was a part of the plan.”
Proper deal with Rob Havenstein stated whereas Stafford won't have been within the constructing at instances through the offseason, after enjoying 4 seasons with the quarterback, there was little question he was placing the mandatory work in.
“One factor you are going to know is Matthew's going to get himself able to play and able to go,” Havenstein stated.
In June throughout necessary minicamp in Maui, Stafford stated the strategy to the offseason allowed him not solely to get pleasure from his time at house, however actually get pleasure from his time on the facility too.
“That is the purpose, proper?” Stafford stated. “The purpose is to not stroll into the power sooner or later and be like, ‘Oh, right here we go. It is Might one thing, and I am right here doing this.' And I used to be like, each time I stepped in there I used to be like, ‘Man, let's go. That is nice. It is nice to see the fellows, blissful to be round them. Let's go get some work carried out.'
It was a giant change, Stafford stated, however an efficient one.
“At this level in my profession, I am attempting to do every little thing I can to guarantee that when the season comes round, I am as contemporary each bodily and mentally as I presumably may be,” Stafford stated. “I really feel like [McVay] feels that method too. And so it has been an incredible collaboration, with the ability to work out what works for each of us, but additionally the workforce.
“And I am a man that has been at each single follow, each single yr of my profession within the offseasons. And it was undoubtedly a change, however I feel it was for the higher.”
THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE to assist maintain Stafford contemporary through the offseason program come as no shock to those that see how McVay handles preseason video games.
McVay and his teaching workers prioritize joint practices to get reps in a extra managed setting after which relaxation starters and key contributors throughout preseason video games. The strategy helps stop accidents and permits these additional down on the depth chart to get priceless recreation reps.
Whereas the Rams additionally deliberate for a modified coaching camp strategy for Stafford and a handful of different veteran gamers who had performed 10 or extra seasons within the NFL, the plan shortly modified for Stafford.
As McVay outlined in his first press convention when discussing Stafford's again soreness, the plan was for the quarterback to overlook simply the primary block of 4 practices and return the next week. When Stafford didn't follow as scheduled, McVay stated whereas Stafford didn't expertise a setback, the workforce would “take some extra time with him.”
“I in all probability spoke just a little bit too quickly, however the final objective is [readiness for the Week 1 game against] Houston and being conscious of that,” McVay stated.
Stafford spent that follow time working with the coaching workers inside the power in addition to standing on the sidelines subsequent to LaFleur and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone. And although Stafford was not out taking the reps, Ragone stated, “he was locked in mentally.”
“At this level, at that a few years within the NFL, it is about sharpening a number of the minor particulars that he is aware of he must do as a way to get himself prepared for Week 1,” Ragone stated. “However he is a real skilled. I imply, on the finish of the day, he is aware of precisely what's wanted.”
The subsequent step for Stafford was an Aug. 9 exercise on the morning of the Rams' preseason opener with the plan to return to follow the next Monday. Stafford went via that exercise with 60-plus throws the place there have been “no limitations when it comes to the sorts of throws,” McVay stated that evening.
The subsequent day, McVay confirmed that Stafford would participate in particular person drills throughout follow Monday after which go from there. Stafford didn't follow that day, McVay stated, as a result of the workforce “did not suppose [practicing] was the fitting factor to do primarily based on how he awoke feeling” that day.”
Stafford didn't follow that week, however was scheduled for an additional exercise earlier than the Rams' second preseason recreation just like the one he had the week prior. Earlier than the sport, a Rams spokesperson declined to say whether or not Stafford had accomplished that exercise. McVay was not scheduled to talk after the sport.
After which the following Monday, Stafford practiced for the primary time throughout coaching camp, collaborating within the full follow and finally the total week for the Rams.
Havenstein stated he noticed Stafford warming up and doing particular person drills initially of follow “after which impulsively, workforce [drills] occurred.”
“I seemed over and I used to be like ‘Oh, OK. Let's do it,” Havenstein stated. “After which as quickly because the play name got here via the helmet — increase. It was like again using a motorbike and he was simply on the market being his regular self.”
Stafford later stated he wasn't anticipating to do as a lot as he did throughout follow, however he “felt fairly good, so I simply form of saved going.”
“[McVay] was cool sufficient to let me push myself,” Stafford stated. “And he is aware of that I do know myself and the way I really feel so he let me form of go.”
That Thursday afternoon in Woodland Hills, California, after watching Stafford take part in a full week of follow, McVay stated the veteran quarterback had “gotten higher and higher”‘ because the week went on.
“He seems to be just like the stud that we all know,” McVay stated.
WHILE THE TIME away through the offseason was refreshing for Stafford, the time away from the sphere throughout coaching camp was not.
Stafford referred to as the time he could not be on the sphere “difficult,” saying, “all I need to do is follow, play, get on the market and be with the fellows.”
“I feel greater than something, I really feel for a man that I actually care about that desires to be on the market greater than anything,” McVay stated in early August.
LaFleur stated he might inform Stafford was “getting just a little antsy” at instances when he was sidelined, “holding the clipboard subsequent to me and ‘Rags' [Ragone].”
“He loves ball,” LaFleur stated. “He would not have to do that anymore. He desires to do it. He loves doing it. There's unfinished enterprise for him. He does this due to this locker room and the individuals round him and simply the each day.
“No matter he does after that is all stated and carried out — hopefully it is not for some time — he will be very profitable in each stroll of life that he has, however that is what he likes to do now.”
Stafford is below contract via the 2026 season, however doesn't have any assured cash in 2026. He and the Rams have gone again to the negotiating desk every of the final two offseasons to regulate his contract, however have not added years to the deal.
Stafford enters the 2025 season simply 191 yards shy of 60,000 passing yards, on the cusp of becoming a member of a bunch of 9 quarterbacks in NFL historical past to hit that milestone. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the one lively quarterback on that record, coming into the season with 62,952 yards, which is the seventh-most all-time. Tom Brady is the all-time passing yards chief with 89,214 yards within the common season.
However whereas Stafford is below contract for 2 extra seasons, he stated he would not need to make any guarantees — to others or himself — about how for much longer he desires to play.
“I am attempting to play at a excessive stage so long as I presumably can,” Stafford stated in June. “However that being stated, I do not need to set any expectations, and I do not need to set any limitations. I do not need to sit there and go, I am solely enjoying this yr or subsequent yr or no matter. Or I do not need to say I will play 10 years extra after which be dissatisfied if I solely play a couple of.
“So I am simply dwelling daily attempting to be the most effective model of myself for this workforce, and hopefully it really works out.”
