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With the defending Super Bowl champions set to open the season on Thursday, all eyes are on the status of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who’s battled elbow pain that’s limited him this offseason. On Sunday, both Stafford and coach Sean McVay had no reservations when detailing Stafford’s availability for Week 1.
“There won’t be any limitations,” McVay said, per Zach Dimmitt of Ram Digest. “He’ll be ready to go.”
Stafford echoed his coach’s confidence, which is notable considering the 34-year-old hasn’t missed a game in the past two seasons.
“I feel great. I’m ready to go play,” Stafford said. “It can always be better, kinda always try to feel like I’m 21 again. I’ll keep trying. But I feel really good, feel like I can make every throw.”
Stafford has managed the elbow injury for a while now, including last season, so it is not unusual that it’s kept him on the sideline during the offseason. Stafford and the team kept up routine maintenance on the elbow last year, and the plan is to follow a similar program in 2022.
“We’ve got a plan in place no different really from last year,” McVay said. “He’s thrown the ball excellent, he feels good, everything that I’m seeing is reflective of everything he’s saying to me. I feel really good about that. You can’t look back on the past, it is something that will be very similar to last year.”
In his first season in Los Angeles, Stafford completed 67.2% of his pass attempts for 4,886 yards, 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He averaged 297 yards per game in the postseason, totaling nine touchdowns and three interceptions with a 70% completion rate.
The Rams and Bills will kick off the 2022 season on Thursday at SoFi Stadium, with the game set to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET.
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