Matthew Stafford hasn’t taken a snap during the first two weeks of Los Angeles Rams training camp, and the 37-year-old quarterback’s absence has become one of the bigger talking points around the team’s summer. While the lack of on-field work could raise concern, the Rams — and those around the league — continue to signal that there’s little reason to panic.
Stafford has been dealing with back soreness that surfaced during the summer break before camp. He has yet to participate in quarterback drills, instead going through individual work with the training staff at Loyola Marymount. There’s no official timetable for his return, but head coach Sean McVay has said the team remains “very confident” he’ll be ready when the Rams host the Houston Texans on September 7 to open the regular season.
Matthew Stafford Injury Is A Maintenance Issue For Los Angeles Rams
ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed that confidence, describing the situation as more precautionary than problematic.
“Matthew Stafford still hasn’t practiced in training camp due to a lingering back injury, but the Rams do not sound concerned,” Schefter said. “This sounds more like a maintenance issue where they’re being smart with their 37-year-old quarterback who they feel like doesn’t need the work necessarily right now. And they feel like if there were a game today, Matthew Stafford would be able to play. So again, disconcerting that your quarterback’s not practicing, but it doesn’t sound overly alarming right now.”
Schefter even borrowed a phrase from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to downplay the situation further: “In relation to Stafford’s back, I would invoke the phrase that Jerry Jones has used: Don’t lose sleep on it. Don’t worry about it.”
Stafford’s value to the team is unquestioned. Since arriving in Los Angeles in the blockbuster 2021 trade that sent Jared Goff and multiple draft picks to the Detroit Lions, he has been central to the team’s identity — delivering a Super Bowl in his first season and stabilizing the position in the years since. His four-year, $160 million extension in 2022, which included $135 million guaranteed, and subsequent restructures in 2024 and 2025 have ensured his place as the franchise’s cornerstone.
Last season, Stafford started 16 games, completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His presence in 2025 is critical to the Rams’ hopes of keeping pace in a competitive NFC, especially with the offense expected to take another step forward.
For now, Los Angeles appears content to let its veteran quarterback work his way back without the strain of training camp practices. With four weeks still to go before Week 1, the team’s approach is clear: protect Stafford now to maximize his availability when it matters most.
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