Hasselbeck Sounds Off on Rams' Matthew Stafford Situation

Aligning on value over next 2 years is paramount for 37-year-old quarterback

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) shake hands after a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

On the surface, moving on from Matthew Stafford doesn’t make sense. Why the Rams would even consider such a separation during a small Super Bowl window is baffling. But former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck said Monday that the Rams aren’t the party driving those conversations.

“I don't know that this is necessarily their idea,” Hasselbeck said on Monday’s edition of Get Up. “It's probably Matthew Stafford looking around and saying, ‘I'm underpaid at the position right now,’ making that very clear to the organization. The organization is saying, ‘Look, you're 37 years old … Go check out the market. Because we love you; you've been a warrior for us. But we also have to be careful because you're 37 years old.”

Check out the market is reportedly what the Rams have allowed Stafford’s agent to do. Hasselbeck said the Stafford-departure narrative isn’t the Rams contemplating a reset at quarterback but rather Stafford making comparisons with quarterbacks across the league.

One of those quarterbacks making more money is Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, whose Eagles escaped a near-upset against Stafford and the Rams in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence and Dak Prescott, the highest-paid player in NFL history, also earn more.

Prescott is 2-5 (.400) over his career in playoff games, without an appearance in a conference championship. Stafford is 5-2 (.714) with a Super Bowl victory. Even Jared Goff, the player the Rams sent to Detroit in exchange for Stafford, is making more. But former linebacker Bart Scott said Stafford’s agent is probably exploring comparative quarterbacks of his age and similar career production.

“It really that just tells you that he wanted some long-term security,” Scott said, “and now he's looking at the market, looking at Jalen Hurts, looking at guys making $60 million. … What it usually comes down to is one or two more years and guaranteed money, and upfront money. So, they’re fighting probably for one or two more years.”

What’s clear is that Stafford, compared to other older quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, has been extremely consistent over the last two years. There’s no reason to believe Stafford couldn’t continue at that level in 2025 and beyond – for the Rams or in another team’s colors.

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