The Los Angeles Rams entered this offseason with legitimate optimism. Last year’s campaign ended painfully close to upsetting the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles — just 13 yards short, and with a battered offensive line.
But the Rams’ fortunes still hinge on one thing: quarterback Matthew Stafford’s health.
Stafford has been sidelined for much of training camp with back discomfort tied to an aggravated disk. The 37-year-old looked poised to return Monday after throwing more than 60 passes in a Saturday workout — deep, intermediate, and short throws — but was ultimately held out.
“Ultimately, what ended up happening, had a great workout, felt good, but then came in today, it doesn’t feel great,” head coach Sean McVay explained. “Didn’t think that was the right decision to be able to push him. We’ve always talked about flexibility, being fluid with some of the plans. More than anything, I feel for a guy that I really care about that wants to be out there more than anything else.”
McVay stressed the team is being cautious, noting that if it were the regular season, Stafford would likely be playing. Surgery, he said, hasn’t been discussed. The quarterback remains on a day-to-day evaluation plan.
Matt Hasselbeck Shares Concern For Rams QB Matthew Stafford Injury
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While the Rams publicly downplay the severity, former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck isn’t as relaxed. Speaking on The Herd, Hasselbeck drew from experience to warn Rams fans about the dangers of a lingering back injury for a veteran quarterback.
“I’m concerned about Stafford’s back,” Hasselbeck said. “The closest thing I can equate that to is if you burn your mouth on a hot piece of pizza, and it doesn’t get better quickly — that’s kind of what back injuries are like. Even if it does, you missed all this time of heavy weight training and physicality deep in the offseason. I’d be very concerned if I were a Rams fan right now.”
That concern is compounded by the Rams’ early schedule. Four of their first six games are against perennial playoff teams, including a trip to Philadelphia. If Stafford can’t perform at an elite level from the start, the team risks falling into an early-season hole that could be tough to escape.
For now, McVay remains optimistic — but as Hasselbeck’s comments suggest, the margin for error in Stafford’s recovery is razor-thin.
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