There was a bit of a scare entering Rams training camp as star QB Matthew Stafford and the organization had yet to agree to terms on a new contract. Stafford was seeking an updated deal that gave him more guaranteed money in 2025 and 2026, but no contract was struck until the 11th hour.
All fears of a holdout – or “hold-in” – were squashed Tuesday when the two parties agreed to an updated contract just before Sean McVay took the podium for his camp-opening presser.
In contract negotiations, especially QB contracts, hurt feelings and resentment are commonplace. This was not the case for the 2024 Rams, as McVay had this to say when questioned about his relationship with Stafford.
“I think it’s even stronger,” he said of his connection to Stafford. “I think the ability to have honest conversations where – I know this, the people that are the closest in my life and the people that I appreciate when I look back on my failures, my shortcomings, even if I wasn’t really ready to receive it at the time. That by no means what I am saying about him. It’s the people who told me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear and that were honest. What I always appreciate about our relationship is that I think that honest communication exists and it never got to a point where there was anything other than I think we’ll be even better. I appreciate some of the emotional conversations that everyone has the right intentions and these things can get contentious but it never did between he and I. That was important because I was always very confident and optimistic that the end goal is to be able to have him here leading the way and the sooner we can be able to find what that looks like, the better off we are. We were able to do that without it taking away from our preparation leading into the season.”
With Stafford’s signature coming on his new contract, the Rams steam ahead into 2024 without distractions as they lay the foundation for a potential Super Bowl run.
