Matthew Stafford rumors suggest he may insist on financial incentives for 2026

We mentioned how winning MVP honors might complicate the path to actually enticing Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to play in 2026. Now, NFL rumors are starting to smolder over the need to revisit Stafford's contract once more. And the whispers of the Staffords insisting on financial incentives to return for another season are getting louder.

Well, I suppose you have to expect a business to act like a business.

It's time to be brutally honest. Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford had opportunities to take a bigger paycheck to play for either the New York Giants or the Las Vegas Raiders. There was no guarantee that he would reach an agreement to play for LA in 2025.

After the two sides found a contract solution, Stafford had to battle a back injury that benched him in training camp.

After all that, Stafford had an MVP season. To the victor go the spoils. And after Stafford overcame what seemed to be impossible odds to start every game, he had arguably the best season of his 17-year NFL career.

Why shouldn't he seek added financial incentives?

Rams Les Snead must walk a currency highwire once more

In the competitive world of professional football, the culture drives elite athletes towards incredible paydays. It's more than financial security. It's a status symbol to be measured by players and athletes alike. And therein lies the rub. While the LA Rams did not win Super Bowl LX, the team was arguably the runner-up in the NFL in 2025.

And that means key players got expensive to re-sign.

Per Over the Cap, Los Angeles has 54 players under contract for 2026, and still manages to have over $48 million in cap space to spend. That's eighth best in the NFL as far as projected cap space goes. That same list projects 11 NFL teams already facing a deficit.

The team projects to lose 20 players in 2026. And right tackle Rob Havenstein has already opted to retire. His replacement, whether free agent or rookie, will cost money. That money is also earmarked to extend a host of young NFL stars this offseason. Is anyone tracking how much this bill will be when it's time to settle up?

Creative accounting can help. Sometimes, extensions reduce the immediate cap hit for players in exchange for future dollars. But even taking that into account, any additional salary demands from Matthew Stafford could tear at the team's delicate financial fabric.

And so, Snead must walk a treacherous salary cap tightrope once more. The team has money to spend. But unless the accounting staff becomes incredibly creative, it will run short before everyone up for extensions signs on the bottom line.

And then there is the NFL MVP. Is he truly looking for more coin to return in 2026? Well, if he truly sees the end of his NFL career on the horizon, there is no better time to do so.

As always, thanks for reading.