Matthew Stafford's latest contract negotiation has laid out a clear roadmap for his next few years.
The reigning NFL MVP's revised deal with the Rams includes rolling guarantee triggers after the 2026 and 2027 seasons, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday, creating annual decision deadlines for both parties.
The first is in March 2027, when Stafford's $45 million base salary for the '27 season and a $5 million roster bonus for 2028 become fully guaranteed on the third day of the new league year. In short, the Rams and Stafford will have to decide if they'll continue working together in 2027 in March, eliminating the possibility of a contract standoff extending into April or May.
The numbers balloon in 2028, which is truly the first legitimate fork in a journey that currently resembles two parallel paths. A $100 million base salary for 2029 -- an absurd total even for the highest-paid position in the sport -- would vest if Stafford is on the roster on the 10th day of the 2028 league year, which would force the two sides to decide between working out a revised contract or going in separate directions.
Stafford turns 40 in February 2028 and will have to decide between retirement, negotiating yet another new deal or finding a new home to continue playing prior to the 10th day of the new league year.
The details of Stafford's new deal are significant not because of the money he'll be due in 2026 and 2027 -- $45 million in 2026 and $50 million in 2027 -- but because they place firm timelines on what has been an otherwise ambiguous process for the quarterback and the Rams over the last two offseasons. In 2025, Stafford flirted with the idea of leaving the Rams for another opportunity elsewhere (most notably, with the Raiders) before working out a deal to remain in Los Angeles, and while he quickly committed to returning in 2026, he and the Rams still took months to hammer out the details of his contract.
With this agreement, the process should be cleaner for both sides in the years ahead. He might also make a little extra cash along the way: Stafford can earn $5 million in incentives in each of the next two seasons if the Rams win the NFC championship and the Super Bowl (with 70% play time in each game).
