Quarterback Matthew Stafford has agreed to a four-year contract extension through 2026 with the Los Angeles Rams after winning the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.
His new deal also is clearly calculated to allow the Rams to retain more of their championship core while adding new pieces, since Stafford almost certainly could have received more money at the top of the quarterback market. Aaron Rodgers’ new deal with the Packers is essentially a three-year, $150 million contract.
Stafford never won a playoff game in 12 seasons with the Lions, but he realized his enormous potential immediately after joining coach Sean McVay and a talented offense including Cooper Kupp, who became the NFL’s receiving leader in the first year of their partnership. Stafford set a franchise record with 4,886 yards passing in the 17-game regular season, and he tied Kurt Warner’s team record with 41 touchdown passes while leading the Rams to the NFC West title.
He then excelled in the first four playoff victories of his career, passing for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns with just three interceptions. He led game-winning drives in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ final three postseason games, including theirFormer LA Rams pass rusher Von Miller to sign with Buffalo BillsStafford’s deal will alter the amount of room under the salary cap for the Rams, who have already lost several free agents this month.