Matthew Stafford makes feelings known on NFL future after Rams' heartbreaking playoff exit vs. Eagles

Matthew Stafford and the Rams suffered a heartbreaking loss in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs as they lost 28-22 to the Eagles in Philadelphia. It was not just the defeat that would have stung Los Angeles players and fans, but the manner of it.

With the deficit just being six points, Matthew Stafford had the ball in his hands with more than two minutes remaining. A successful touchdown drive and a conversion would have won them the game and taken them back to Los Angeles awaiting the Washington Commanders in the NFC game.

The veteran Super Bowl-winning quarterback got a first down before the two-minute warning, and just when it looked that he would lead the Rams on a comeback win, the offense imploded. First, a false start put them behind the chains and then it was followed up by a costly sack.

That set up a crucial fourth-and-eleven that Matthew Stafford missed and that was enough to end the game. After the result, he was asked what he was thinking about his future. He is turning 37 next month, and this was his 16th season in the NFL.

However, the Rams quarterback was understandably coy and did not reveal his plans. He instead chose to focus on the present and said that he is proud to be associated with the group and commended his teammates' efforts to get this point. He told reporters:

“As far as my future, it’s 30 minutes after the last game, so I’ll take some time to think about it. But I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball... I'll talk about my present. Proud to be associated with this group ... It was a hell of an effort all year to get to this point. Any time you play like this ... and come up short, it's even tougher."

Exploring Matthew Stafford's contract situation with the Rams

The Rams entered into a contract negotiation with Matthew Stafford ahead of this season and agreed upon what is effectively a one-year deal worth $40 million. $23.5 million was guaranteed and $12.5 million came as a signing bonus, with a further $4 million coming as a roster bonus.

This allows the quarterback and the team the flexibility to think about what they want to do in the future. It is now the second consecutive year that Los Angeles has gone out in the playoffs before the NFC Championship. However, it was better than last season, when they went out against the Lions in the Wild Card round.