The Rams' union with Matthew Stafford is starting to get ugly. The veteran quarterback recently closed the door on his contract negotiations this offseason.
The Los Angeles Rams put all their chips into the pot for their Super Bowl-winning run. Now, they want to take some of it back.
Back when the Rams traded for then-Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, they gave him a monster deal with $120 million in fully guaranteed money over two years. They did so knowing Stafford's age at the time (33 years old) and that Stafford would likely only have a few more productive campaigns left in him.
This offseason, the Rams reportedly approached Stafford about re-doing his deal, to which Stafford declined.
Colin Cowherd relayed this information on his show on Monday:
"I was told by a source I trust that they wanted to re-do [Stafford's] contract. He wasn't interested. It limits what they can do and they were frustrated with him."
Cowherd doesn't clarify whether the Rams wanted to reduce Stafford's amount of guaranteed cash (Stafford received $57 million in guaranteed money that kicked in this past March) or restructure his contract altogether.
Matthew Stafford turned down Rams' negotiation attempts this year
But can anyone blame Stafford? The Rams played fast and loose with their money prior to the 2021 season, and their "f— 'em picks" motto was the strategy heard 'round the country. Stafford helped the Rams win the Super Bowl that season, and while the Rams are feeling the consequences of their unsustainable roster-building actions and short-sighted business decisions, Stafford has been coasting on his piles of guaranteed money.
As he should be. Don't guarantee money in contracts that you don't want to pay out.
Stafford showed troubling signs of decline in 2022, as a nagging elbow injury saw him sit out for more than half the season. He ended the year with just over 2,000 passing yards and ten touchdowns against eight interceptions; the Rams crawled to five wins in total.
Long after the feelings of elation and victory have faded, Los Angeles will be reeling from the catastrophic effects of their Super Bowl championship, but that doesn't mean Stafford has to join in the misery.
He took the Rams to the top of the mountain already. His $31 million salary for 2024 is already guaranteed. He doesn't need to care about the next era of Rams football — and clearly, he doesn't.
