Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a revised contract on Tuesday, preventing a possible holdout from training camp for the star quarterback.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, whose Tuesday news conference was delayed by a few hours while the two sides continued to work things out, announced the adjustment to Stafford's contract and that Stafford would be in attendance for the start of camp.
"All of our players are accounted for," McVay said, including his starting QB. "I am relieved."
This offseason, the 36-year-old quarterback expressed to the team his desire to add more guaranteed money to the contract he signed in 2022, after leading the Rams to a Super Bowl title. Stafford had participated in the Rams' offseason program fully but appeared poised to hold out -- or hold in, only participating in individual drills -- prior to the contract being reworked. Now all of that has been avoided, even if the particulars of the revised deal have not yet been revealed.
"We were able to get this solved," McVay said on Tuesday. "We were able to have an understanding of what was important. We were able to articulate it from both perspectives, and I think the ultimate thing was about coming to a solution and finding that common ground. We were able to do that and that was the goal.
"I do want to be careful in getting into too many of the particulars. What I am grateful of is that we were able to solve whatever that issue was and now here we are. And I'm excited to be able to talk about football and moving forward."
But McVay also pointed out that Stafford did not receive an extension. Stafford's current four-year, $160 million deal runs through the 2026 season.
Stafford struggled at the start of last season, completing fewer than 60% of his passes with an 8-7 TD-INT ratio through eight starts prior to missing the Week 9 game against the Packers with a sprained thumb.
But he returned with a fury, throwing for 16 TDs and only four INTs in his final seven starts, helping turn around the Rams' 3-6 start. Stafford was mostly brilliant in L.A.'s wild-card loss to the Detroit Lions this January, nearly leading an upset over his former team.
Now he's back in the fold for a 16th season in the NFL, and his fourth since being traded to the Rams.
They're going to need him, especially with the backup situation less than settled. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is facing a two-game suspension to start the season, and former fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett back in the fold after spending last season on the team's NFI list.
