Matthew Stafford sets retirement timeline as Rams QB approaches 15th year in NFL
Matthew Stafford is approaching the end of his career and the 2024 season with the Rams will mark the passing of 15 years since he first entered the league in 2009. He has since won a Super Bowl and had many lows to accompany the highs, but all those thrills and spills are set to come to an end sooner rather than later.
In a reflective mood on Pardon My Take, Matthew Stafford acknowledged that it was a long time ago when he first joined the league, noting:
"Every year that I play now, I just appreciate so much and I think back on – I mean, we were just talking about plays from my rookie year and it’s like, man, that was a long, long time ago."
He then added how it caught him by surprise to think that there were players who were yet to turn 10 when he began his NFL career. Highlighting his appreciation for everything, he said that he still hopes to have three or four more years in him. While there are no guaranteed, he confirmed he felt good about going on for that long:
"I walk into a locker room with guys who were 6, 7, 8, 9 years old when I first came into the league, which is kind of crazy to think about. But I definitely appreciate my opportunities and appreciate this game. I mean, it’s given me a ton. I hope I’ve got three or four more left in me. We’ll see. Every year is a new year, but I do feel good."
Matthew Stafford has previously acknowledged his age and failure to connect
Matthew Stafford has been incredibly open about his advancing age and as his wife previously revealed, he has confided in her about having trouble interacting with the youngsters. She said:
“He’s like ‘The difference in the locker room has changed so significantly.’ They have a lot of rookies on their team, they’re very young. But he’s like ‘I feel like I can’t connect.'
"In the old days you’d come out of practice. ... They’d at least be talking.But now they get out of practice, and meetings during training camp, and they go straight to their phones. No one looks up from their phones."
With him now talking about his retirement, Matthew Stafford knows his glittering NFL career is coming to a close. When he is finally done, there will be a lot of Rams fans will miss what he brought to the team.