McVay Provides Update on Matthew Stafford's Wild Card Injury

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams had a bit of a scare when quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered an injury to his throwing hand during the Rams' win over the Carolina Panthers.

While Stafford did finish the game, his play was impacted for a bit. With a date in Chicago awaiting the Rams, here's the latest on Stafford's hand.

McVay Provides Positive Updates

On Monday, Rams head coach Sean McVay detailed exactly where Matthew Stafford is at and the steps being taken to ensure Stafford will play with as much freedom as possible.

“He got a little sprain on his index finger," stated McVay. "You guys saw, he kind of hit the helmet. He's as tough as it gets, but he's feeling good. He had a little sprain on the index finger. I don't want to say little, but he had a sprain on the index finger but he was able to push through it. He's as tough as it gets and we'll be good to go.”

While McVay wouldn't go into the exact process, he did explain that the Rams have a plan of action with Reggie Scott, one of the critical pieces to getting Stafford back on the field following his back issue in preseason, and Scott has been reporting positive results.

“I don't know about all that," McVay commented. "I just know he’s good. I know that when [Senior Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance] Reggie [Scott] tells me everything is checked out and we're good. He's going to be good to go and that's the most important thing. Anything other than that…that was what I wanted to hear.”

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts after a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

On top of the reports, it doesn't appear Stafford will need any type of handwear or protection.

“No, I don't think so," McVay added. "No, that hasn't been anything we've discussed. As far as the weather and the actual temperature, you'll have to talk to him about that. Those are personal preferences. It seems like it's going to be pretty damn cold. Get your gloves on!”

The Situation Gets Better For Stafford

Not only is Stafford getting healthier, he's also getting his entire offense back for the Divisional Round showdown. The first big return is guard Kevin Dotson. Dotson has missed the last three games after getting injured in Seattle.

Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (69) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“He's making great progress," stated McVay. "I was really encouraged. I thought he had a great week last week. I’m optimistic about what that looks like for this week. I’ve been proud as hell of how [Offensive Lineman] Justin Dedich has battled. The expectations, and I know Kevin's preparing to go play this week. We're going to really push that thing and see how he feels with the optimism that there's a good chance that he makes it.”

Not only could Stafford get a critical piece of his offensive line back, but the offense will have their version of Colston Loveland on the field if things continue to remain positive for Terrance Ferguson.

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson (18) catches a pass during pregame warm up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

“I feel really good about Terrance," stated McVay. "Terrence and [Safety] Josh Wallace are the other guys that are looking really good. They were right up until kickoff. There was a possibility that they could make it. Kevin [Dotson] obviously was the one guy that we did rule out. I’ve been really pleased with his progress, but just based on the nature of some of the things his position would require, [we ruled him out]. With some of those other guys, it's looking pretty good.”

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