“We’re a frickin’ tough team” - When Matthew Stafford got candid after leading the Rams to Super Bowl LVI win vs. Bengals

The LA Rams finished fourth in the NFC in the 2021 season before surviving close playoff games against the San Francisco 49ers and the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They repeated a similar performance against the Cincinnati Bengals by making a comeback in Super Bowl LVI to win their second Lombardi Trophy.

Although some fans may call it a lucky win, star quarterback Matthew Stafford described their performance as a reflection of their season during a post-game interview in February 2022.

“That game today is the story of our season," Stafford said. "It’s up and down. It’s tough. And we’re a frickin’ tough team. We showed up late and got it done. I’m excited.”

The Rams started their season on a high by finishing the first half with a 7-1 record, including a dominating 34-24 victory over the Bucs. However, they suffered three straight losses to the Titans, 49ers and Packers. But they bounced back to win five consecutive games before losing their final game at home, finishing their season at 12-5.

Although they had a dominating 34-11 victory over the Cardinals, they narrowly edged past the Bucs 30-27 and then the 49ers 20-17 in the NFC final.

The Rams had a similar roller-coaster ride at the Super Bowl when they started strong with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s touchdown. However, they lost the early advantage and fell behind 20-13.

Stafford stepped up again in the final minutes of play to orchestrate a 15-play, 79-yard drive for a game-winning touchdown, moving the score to 23-20. With just 1:25 left on the clock, Aaron Donald pressured Bengals QB Joe Burrow on 4th-and-1 to secure the victory.

Interestingly, both the Bengals and Rams finished fourth in their conferences, making it the first Super Bowl featuring teams that finished fourth.

LA Rams re-sign Matthew Stafford ignoring Aaron Rodgers

The Rams’ memorable season was shaped by some masterful trades during the season. Wide receiver Beckham Jr. was signed midseason, linebacker Von Miller was traded from the Broncos and quarterback Matthew Stafford was acquired from the Lions.

Although the Rams still look like strong contenders for another Super Bowl appearance, early rumors suggested that they were looking to replace Stafford with veteran free agent Aaron Rodgers. The move could have been catastrophic, according to RAMSWIRE. But the Rams have signed Stafford for the role again, and his wife, Kelly Stafford, is relieved at the news.