LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford has agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2027 season with the Los Angeles Rams.The Rams announced the deal Thursday without immediately revealing its value. ESPN reported the 2027 deal is worth $55 million with a potential to increase to $60 million, a raise from his salary for the upcoming season.The deal indicates that the 38-year-old Stafford is at least strongly thinking about staying with the Rams past 2026. That’s notable because Stafford has professed a year-to-year mentality about his future ever since he led the Rams to a Super Bowl championship in February 2022, and he only confirmed he would return for the upcoming season while accepting his MVP trophy in February.The Rams then surprised the league by drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick last month, throwing Stafford’s long-term future into momentary doubt — until head coach Sean McVay made it quite clear that Stafford is the Rams’ starting quarterback for as long as he decides to play.
“Whenever that time comes for (Simpson) to get an opportunity to be Matthew’s successor will be on Matthew’s terms,” McVay said at the time. “I didn’t want that to ever be misunderstood. ... It is Matthew’s football team.”
