LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams’ executive and coaching leadership group will meet in the coming week to discuss the futures of star veterans Matthew Stafford, their quarterback since 2021, and receiver Cooper Kupp, who has played all eight years of his career in L.A., coach Sean McVay said Thursday morning.
McVay said he and the players wanted to let the emotions of the season settle before making any decisions, and would not say definitively when asked whether the two players would remain with the team. He said he will soon meet with team ownership and other executives to discuss their futures, and meet with the players.
Instead, McVay expressed his gratitude for both players — later expanding those comments to include veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee. Kupp, Havenstein and Higbee have all been with McVay since his head coaching tenure began in 2017. Havenstein, a team captain, has no remaining guarantees on his contract in 2025 while the bulk of Higbee’s guaranteed money was paid out in 2024.
Determining their next steps with Stafford will be the top priority, McVay said, after the quarterback’s contract dispute (though not contentious) continued throughout last spring and into the first day of training camp.
“We don’t want to have that go on again, I don’t think that’s good for anybody,” McVay said. “I think sooner than later being able to get that clarity, understanding, clear, open and honest communication. I think there’s a lot of love coming from our part (and) I think there’s a lot of appreciation coming from his part as well. I think a lot sooner than later is an ideal scenario. … Matthew and I have obviously talked. He knows how important he is to me and to our football team. I thought it was a great dialogue.
“I think the appropriate timeline is we’ll get a chance at the end of next week to really sit down. That will be one of the first topics on (the) to-do list, to be able to talk about. Hopefully that will be able to give us the opportunity to move toward clarity in regards to how that affects his status and what we’re doing at what we know is an incredibly important position for our football team moving forward.”
Tyler Higbee caught seven passes for 54 yards, including this first-quarter touchdown against the Eagles in the divisional round. (Bill Streicher / Imagn Images)
Stafford and the Rams restructured the four-year extension he signed in 2022, effectively rendering it a one-year deal despite its outlined years running through 2026. Guaranteed money was front-loaded into 2024 (he had $23 million in guarantees this season on a $46.1 million cap number, per Over the Cap), and only $4 million is guaranteed next season with none in 2026.
“We’ll talk about all of those things at the appropriate time,” said McVay. “I know he’s playing really good football. Obviously I love him, love working with him. What he has meant to our football team has been immeasurable in a positive way. …
“The quarterback is always the first thing in mind as it relates to how you move forward with the team. I think he’s playing really good football. Like I said, when we get back (in the office) we will talk about all of those types of things. But I’m sure proud of the body of work, really proud of how he’s played. I think the coolest thing you can say about Matthew is that he shines the brightest on the biggest stages. (When) you look at the seven playoff games he’s played in since he’s been a Ram, he certainly gives you a chance every time you step out on the field. For that I am sure appreciative.”
In 2021, 2023 and 2024 Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl win, the wild-card round and divisional round. While he missed the latter part of 2022 with a spinal cord contusion, Stafford only missed one game over the past two seasons specifically to injury. Kelly Stafford, his wife, said on her podcast this week that Stafford “cracked four ribs” against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15. Stafford, who aggravated his ribs against the Eagles in the divisional round Sunday, acknowledged after the game that he had been dealing with a ribs injury but he never appeared on the injury report nor was any injury disclosed publicly by he or the team, and McVay said he did not miss any practice (media is not privy to viewing walk-throughs and has a 20-minute viewing period for full practices). Stafford and other starters rested in Week 18.
“After the 49ers game, he had banged up his ribs,” McVay said in addressing Kelly Stafford’s comments. “We took a picture of it. Nothing showed up on that image. It continued to kind of just irritate him. But it didn’t affect his ability to practice (or) anything play-related, but he did have some irritation. And then before the Minnesota game (the wild card) when he did get an MRI scan there showed some stress reactions. That was what was communicated to me. But it didn’t limit his ability to practice.”
When asked by The Athletic after Sunday’s season-ending loss in Philadelphia whether Stafford feels he still has good football left in him, he responded with a grin: “Sure feels like it.” Stafford will turn 37 this summer.
Though Kupp’s statistics declined in 2024, he made it clear on Monday he still wants to play football — vocalizing his uncertainty as to where that will be.
“Who knows what is going to happen?” he said. “A lot of stuff is out of my control. We’ll see (what) it’s going to be. There was obviously stuff that was going on early in the season and we’ll see. I don’t have any clarity on what that’s gonna look like. Obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that is gonna look like.”
Kupp, 31, has struggled with injuries over the last three seasons since earning the triple crown during the Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2021. He signed a three-year, $80 million contract extension in 2022. His salary-cap numbers in 2025 and 2026 are $29.7 million and $27.3 million, with $5 million in guarantees in 2025 and none in 2026, according to Over the Cap. He also is owed roster bonuses of $12.5 million combined over the next two seasons, per OTC. The $7.5 million roster bonus owed to Kupp in 2025 triggers March 19. The Rams could initially discuss a restructured contract with Kupp, who is a team captain and has been a major influence on McVay.
“Cooper has changed my life for the better,” McVay said. “He has made an impact on me most importantly as a person. … These things are very real. You try to say, ‘Oh, it’s business, it’s (not) personal,’ well, it all blends together because this is still relationships. I think he’s honest about the situation. Those are the things that make it challenging. But one of the things I’ve learned from him as much as anybody is there is no good way to go about hard conversations other than just straight to the point.”
• Other notes: McVay confirmed that assistant coach John Streicher will rejoin Mike Vrabel in New England, whose recommendation helped McVay hire him in 2024. Streicher is an on-field assistant who specializes in situational and game management in all phases and was a leading influence in McVay’s improvements in that area this season. Tight ends coach Nick Caley has been connected to the New York Jets offensive coordinator position, though McVay said he has not received a formal request for an interview. Assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant has been formally requested by the Chicago Bears to interview for the defensive coordinator vacancy. Other than departures via promotion, McVay said he will keep his coaching staff intact. … Rookie first- and second-round picks Jared Verse and Braden Fiske were named as Defensive Rookie of the Year finalists by the Associated Press. Fiske will have a small procedure this offseason to repair a knee injury suffered early in the divisional round.
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(Top photo of Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
