The Matthew Stafford retirement drama has become a yearly routine for the Los Angeles Rams. However, while most knew the stress that the situation caused for Les Snead and Sean McVay, one of the under-reported aspects is how much the yearly question affected his teammates, even on the defensive side of the ball.
In a conversation with Casino.ca, Jared Verse revealed that the unknown without Stafford was enough to force the star to his knees to pray for the star’s return.
“I had a good feeling that he was going to come back,” Verse said. “I was praying. Knees on the ground, elbows on the bed. Like a little kid praying, ‘Please come back.’ And then I found out when everybody else found out through his award-winning speech.”
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Of course, not long after the speech in which Matthew Stafford announced his return for 2026, the Rams decided that the team wasn’t going to fall victim to a sudden exit. As such, Snead drafted Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, giving the team a premium pivot option if and when Stafford steps away.
Jared Verse Comments on Addition of Matthew Stafford’s Successor
Jared Verse was also asked about the addition of the rookie, and he was upbeat about the rookie’s prospects with the Rams. Verse lauded Simpson’s ability to scramble and his ability to place the ball exactly where he wants.
“He’s got Sean (McVay), and he’s in the perfect situation,” Verse said. “He gets to come in, and he gets to learn from Matthew, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, MVP, Super Bowl champion. … He can run the ball, get through all that good stuff that all these quarterbacks in the league usually can do. The way he’s accurate, the way he’s able to have confidence in the throws he makes, the things that he does — he’s confident in his abilities. That’s just a credit to the hard work that he puts in.”
Of course, the moment the change officially happens, Verse might find himself on his knees again, praying for a good result. He also has reason to pray that the transition happens later rather than sooner, based on how much he wanted Matthew Stafford back in the first place.
However, this time around, with Simpson on the team, the Rams have regained some leverage. Fans can only see where things go from here.