There have been numerous reports this offseason that the Los Angeles Rams tried to trade Matthew Stafford, but head coach Sean McVay insists they were all lies.
McVay told reporters on Wednesday that teams inquired about trading for Stafford. He said all of the Rams’ decision-makers were in “unanimous agreement” that they wanted to keep the veteran quarterback heading into 2023.
“There was a consistent and unanimous dialogue and understanding,” McVay said, via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “When that March deadline came in terms of him being due the bonus that he’s deserved and that he’s earned, we were all in unanimous agreement that we wanted him to be the quarterback.”
McVay added that he can speak for the entire team in saying he is “excited as hell” to have Stafford under center for another season.
A more recent rumor claimed the the Rams asked Stafford to take a pay cut. The 35-year-old quarterback did not exactly deny it when asked on Wednesday.
“I don’t know what the technical term of it is,” Stafford said. “But we had conversations on that kind of stuff and I’ll leave it at that.”
Stafford is under contract with the Rams through 2026. He is still capable of producing at a high level, but there have been some troubling reports about his health.
Stafford had a $59 million guarantee in his contract that kicked in back in March. That is a lot of money to commit to an aging quarterback who has battled injuries in recent seasons. Even if L.A. tried to trade him, it is hardly a surprise those attempts were unsuccessful.
