Rams Sign MVP Stafford to 1-Year, $55M Extension

Sport

By lines

May 22, 2026

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The Los Angeles Rams agreed to a one-year, $55 million contract extension with Matthew Stafford on Thursday. The deal ties the reigning NFL MVP to Los Angeles through the 2027 season. Stafford has $105 million remaining over the next two years on his updated Rams contract.

What Stafford’s Extension Locks In for the Rams Through 2027

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the Stafford extension on Thursday morning. The Rams structured the deal to push Stafford’s total potential earnings to $60 million with incentives. The Rams previously had Stafford under contract for the 2026 season as the starting quarterback. The new extension adds a 2027 season to keep Stafford in Los Angeles. Stafford will enter his 18th NFL season and his sixth with the Rams in September.

Stafford threw for 4,707 passing yards during the 2025 NFL regular season. Stafford also threw 46 touchdown passes to lead the league last year. The 2025 NFL MVP Award was the first MVP win of Stafford’s 17-year career. Stafford ranked first in the NFL in both passing yards and touchdown passes last year. Stafford ranks among the NFL’s top 10 all-time in career passing yards through 17 seasons.

Stafford won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams in February 2022 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams acquired Stafford from the Detroit Lions in January 2021 in exchange for Jared Goff. Stafford has restructured the Rams deal several times since the 2021 trade. Stafford reaches free agency in 2028 under the current contract structure. The Stafford trade brought the Rams from rebuild territory to a Super Bowl LVI title within 13 months.

The Stafford extension keeps the Rams competitive in the NFC West through 2027. Los Angeles avoided a quarterback search by locking Stafford into a two-year window. The Rams used cap space to extend their MVP rather than chase free-agent passers this offseason. Sean McVay retains his MVP quarterback heading into a potential Super Bowl LXI run. The Rams now have salary clarity at the quarterback position through the 2027 NFL season.

The Los Angeles Rams open the 2026 NFL regular season in September with Stafford under center. The Rams will reach the November trade deadline with Stafford locked in beyond this year. The Rams move to the 2027 offseason with cap clarity to address other roster needs. Stafford has two seasons to chase a second Super Bowl ring before the extension expires. The Rams face NFC West rivals San Francisco, Seattle, and Arizona twice each during the 2026 season.