Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is ensuring he is the best he can be by the time the season rolls around.
Los Angeles Rams superstar quarterback Matthew Stafford is picking up right where he left off.
The 2025 NFL MVP didn’t practice on Day 1 of training camp because the Rams set a modified practice schedule for him to participate every second and fourth day leading up to the season.
However, Stafford returned to practice on Day 2. After his first session, he explained his modified practice plan and how it is designed to help manage his workload moving forward.
"I'm just doing everything I can to make sure that my body and my mind feel as good as I possibly can," Stafford said.
"Every time I'm out here, obviously you guys know I'm giving it everything I've got and trying to raise the level of play and help our guys be as good as we possibly can as a team. I don't think it's probably worth getting too much into days one and three and all that kind of stuff."
McVay broke down the practice plan for Stafford, indicating the quarterback will not play Days 1 and 3, and Days 2 and 4 are when he will take the brunt of the snaps.
In Day 1 of training camp, it was backups Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson who took all of the reps. But on Day 2, it was the Stafford show.
The 38-year-old quarterback looked as good as ever, with head coach McVay saying that he looked "pretty damn sharp."
The modified practice is designed to keep Stafford fresh and have him hit the ground running by the time Week 1 gets going. Last offseason, he didn’t practice at all due to a severe back issue.
Stafford missed all of training camp as he dealt with back soreness and a serious disc issue that threatened the start of his regular season. Although that was the case entering the season, the Rams passer had his best NFL campaign to date.
The Rams' Super Bowl chances hinge on the health of Stafford. While missing games hasn't necessarily been an issue for him in his time with the Rams or his entire career, the back issue is one at the forefront of people’s minds.
Stafford is set to enter his sixth season in Los Angeles and has played in 74 out of a possible 85 games. On top of that, Stafford has not missed a playoff game for the Rams.
When it matters most, the Texas native has typically been available, and the Rams can't afford for that to change in 2026 with so much at stake.
Per usual, Stafford will not participate in any of the Rams' three preseason games in the coming weeks. The first time we will see Stafford in action will be in Week 1 when they take on the San Fracnsio 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.
