Mystified Rams fans must learn Matthew Stafford's fate from history of 2 NFL QBs

The Los Angeles Rams are not the first NFL team to deal with concerning back injuries to their star starting quarterback. In fact, back injuries have been a bane of NFL quarterbacks throughout its history. And it's that NFL history that could serve as a compass to fans who feel a bit lost as to what this all means, and where the team could end up

An update over Matthew Stafford's current status and future outlook was expected. But it never arrived. Instead, a more ominous message was shared, and it stated that HC Sean McVay would address the situation on Monday. That certainly does not bode well for a silver lining on this storm cloud.

So what should fans who have been kept mostly in the dark expect?

It's a complex ailment with no easy solution. And to stir the muddy water even more, it happened without warning. Matthew Stafford seemed fine in OTAs and in minicamp. But when players showed for training camp, he was already complaining about back soreness. Now, keep in mind that no football activity had begun. The starting quarterback showed up injured.

It's that out-of-the-blue shocking development that has some NFL analysts giving the team their thumbs down on appearing in Super Bowl LX. If the quarterback shows up injured, they argue, how can he sustain the pounding that every NFL quarterback takes?

The erosion of confidence in the outcome by the Rams' spokespersons is compelling talking heads and NFL analysts to attempt to get ahead of the issue. In response, many analysts who had bitten their tongues are now happy to share a far more negative forecast for the team.

But the NFL has a history of quarterbacks with back injuries. Consider the way back injuries impacted the careers of both Tony Romo and Phillip Rivers. Is all hope lost? Or is there truly a light at the end of the tunnel?

Tony Romo and Phillip Rivers set examples for Rams to follow

The Rams and fanbase face the murky unknown, a future of uncertainties that can just as easily turn disastrous as it can instantly dissipate into nothing. Which way will the chips fall?

Worst Case Scenario

That's a tough call. But in a worst-case scenario, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo sets the example. He suffered two back injuries throughout his career. His first was a herniated disc suffered during a game against the Washington Commanders in Week 17 of the 2013 season. He opted for corrective surgery, which ended his season.

He returned the following season and had a Pro Bowl performance. But time was not on his side.

Romo suffered a broken bone in his spine in a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. The original diagnoses projected him to miss form six to ten weeks, but was caveated by the claim that it would be a week-to-week assessment. He would appear in one game, completing three of four passes, but retire after that season.

Best Case Scenario

The other example of a back injury is that of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers. He was diagnosed with a bulging disc in 2014 and was able to avoid surgery. His injury did impact his performance, but he would rebound. He managed his injury in 2014 with the aid of epidurals and finished out the season.

He would string together three Pro Bowl seasons in 2016, 2017, and 2018. And he was 33 years old at the time of his injury.

For fans, a back injury invokes images of body casts, medical traction, and immobilization. But not all is dire. The advances in medical science may not always generate immediate results, but techniques and strategies for finding a path to recovery improve all the time. And the history of back injuries to two starting quarterbacks serves as a perfect example that not all is lost, even in uncertain times.

The Rams may not have the answers that you want to hear, but that does not mean that a solution is not just around the corner. The team sought the best medical care possible from the onset of treatment. Now, it's simply a matter of patience. As always, thanks for reading.

You may enjoy more Matthew Stafford articles as well