Fired-up Sean McVay makes ten-year Matthew Stafford prediction as retirement decision vindicated for surging Rams

Matthew Stafford has largely gone underrated for the majority of his NFL career.

Now, his status as a future Pro Football Hall of Famer should be as close to being undeniable as ever.

Getty

In a dominant 34-7 victory for the Los Angeles Rams over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Stafford threw 23-of-35 for 273 yards and three touchdowns to take the team to an NFC-leading 9-2 record.

“That was a f***ing outstanding job. Right from the jump, you guys came ready to go…” head coach Sean McVay shouted in the locker room after the game. “[He] tied an NFL record for 27 touchdowns without an interception. Give it up for our guy, Matthew Stafford.”

The Rams recorded 333 total yards, whilst the defense allowed just 193 yards from the Bucs, 70 of which came in the passing game as Baker Mayfield exited the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, with Teddy Bridgewater as his replacement.

The Rams’ 127 point differential through the first 12 weeks of the 2025 season leads the NFL. It is also McVey’s highest point differential in his entire head coaching career in the NFL.

But it was Stafford’s offensive prowess which stole the show – much like it has the entire 2025 NFL regular season – with the 17-year veteran recording a 122.7 rating.

Speaking of his performance in the victory, Stafford gave full credit to his head coach for his play-calling.

“Today it was early (I felt like I was in the zone). Sometimes it takes a minute to get into it, but today felt good,” he said. “I thought Sean did a hell of a job kind of dialing it up for us early on and we were able to go put the pedal to the metal.”

Despite being 37-years-old, turning 38 the day before Super Bowl LX, the Rams’ quarterback is enjoying his best season if measured by passer rating, with his 113.7 rating through his 11 outings in 2025 eclipsing his 106.0 rating set in 2019 when playing for the Detroit Lions.

Stafford currently leads the NFL in touchdowns with 30, seven more than Dak Prescott and Jared Goff – who he was traded for back in 2021 – whilst his two interceptions on the year trails only Jalen Hurts.

Despite being a seasoned pro, the gunslinger still brings it all back to being on the practice field.

Getty

“I feel like I gotta go earn (confidence) every single week,” Stafford said. “… I still live and die with practices sometimes.”

But it wasn’t just Stafford who got in the history books on Sunday as McVay and General Manager Les Snead claimed the 15th spot for most wins all-time by a head coach/GM duo, passing Denver Broncos pair John Beake and Dan Reeves (96 games regular season + post-season).

Stafford is ‘a fine wine’

As it stands, Stafford is one of the NFL’s leading MVP candidates, having never ranked higher than eighth which he did back in 2023 when he earned only the second Pro Bowl nod of his career.

“He’s a fine wine. He’s just getting better with age,” McVay said of his quarterback. “I think he’s going to play for about 10 more years.”

If Stafford were to play another decade in the NFL, then he would be bordering on 48-years-old, a milestone that all-time great Tom Brady – who Bill Belichick even likened Stafford to – could not reach reach.

However, he would only become the second-oldest player to have played in the league, with George Blanda who enjoyed stints with the Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders retiring in 1975 at the age of 48.

Getty

Getty

But when told of his head coach’s comments, Stafford played down any thought of thinking about his future beyond this season.

“I’m not trying to label it, I just know I’m having fun. My body feels pretty good at the moment,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”

The Rams receiving corps would certainly want Stafford to have an extended career as All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams – who has a team-leading 12 touchdowns this season – admitted that joining LA has transformed the twilight years of his own career.

“I’m having the most fun playing that I’ve ever had and real grateful for the opportunity to play for a team like this,” Adams told reporters after Sunday’s win.

The Rams are now in command of the NFC West and are currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC with six games left to play.

But McVay and the Rams are not getting carried away with their position, knowing that it means nothing until Week 18 of the regular season.

“The only thing that would matter is if the season ended right now,” McVay said.”Do you remember who was in first place with six weeks left last year? Me either.”

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.