Now that the details of Matthew Stafford’s new contract with the Los Angeles Rams have been revealed, we have a better idea of how much money the quarterback gave up to remain with his current team.
Stafford received a substantial raise on his new contract with the Rams, giving him a $44 million salary this season with another $40 million guaranteed. That is a raise of roughly $30 million relative to his previous contract.
However, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB, Stafford could have made $20 million more over the next two seasons had he forced a move to another team. The Los Angeles Raiders and New York Giants were willing to give him as much as $100 million over the next two seasons, but Stafford took significantly less to remain with the Rams.
That figure of $100 million is even higher than was previously reported, and demonstrates just how badly the Raiders and Giants wanted Stafford earlier in the offseason.
Breer compared the deal to those signed by the likes of Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady late in their careers. Those three quarterbacks prioritized the chance to win with their current teams instead of maximizing their earnings elsewhere.
Ultimately, the Rams were a play away from reaching the NFC Championship last season. The Giants and Raiders are much further away from contention. Stafford essentially traded $20 million for having the chance to play for a contender without uprooting his family, and he was still paid quite handsomely to do it.
