We’re pissed. We’re frustrated. And honestly, we’re a little heartbroken. After everything we’ve been through together—the Super Bowl win, the balls-out comebacks, the late-game heroics—rumors are swirling that you might leave us. Leave us, the Los Angeles Rams, the team that you dragged out of the Lions’ mediocrity and transformed you into a Super Bowl champion. The team that’s given you a home, a legacy, and a fanbase that worships the ground you walk on. And for what? Contract talks? Money? The pending trade of Cooper Kupp? We get it. We’re here to tell you, loud and clear: you belong with the Rams, and walking away now would be bone-crushing to every single one of us who’s bled blue and gold for you.
Let’s start with the contract nonsense. Yeah, we get it—your deal isn’t exactly matching the bloated paychecks of some of these younger quarterbacks. You’re sitting at $49.7 million against the cap in 2025, with just $4 million guaranteed. The guaranteed money is chump change compared to what you’re worth to us, and we sincerely hope that Les Snead and the front office can lock you down with a reasonable deal that reflects your worth. But, please don’t bust our balls with unreasonable demands. You’re not just some aging QB coasting on fumes (See Aaron Rodgers) you’re Matthew Stafford, a top-10 QB who dragged us to the divisional round with cracked ribs! Do you think we don’t see that? Do you think we don’t know you’re still playing at an elite level and playing for a coach who sets you up for enormous success? The Rams need to pay you, but they seem a bit shell-shocked given some of the contracts they’re handed out the last few years. We’re not blind—they reworked your deal last year to frontload the guarantees into 2024, leaving you with little guaranteed money for 2025. Do you really want to play for the Giants and Raiders and end up on IR after the second or third game?
And the money? Oh, please. We know you’re not hurting for cash, Matthew. You’ve got a Super Bowl ring, a Hall of Fame trajectory, and more money than we normal peasants only dream of. This isn’t about needing a bigger house or a fancier car—trade or no-trade, the Rams simply can’t walk away from your cap hit. You’ll still get what’s owed you. We get that you’re watching guys like Jared Goff and Dak Prescott cash in while your deal looks like a relic from 2022. It’s nuts! But you’re not some mercenary chasing the highest bidder—you’re our QB, our leader, our guy. The Rams can fix this, but it works both ways. They’ve got cap space to play with—projections say they could free up $60 million if they rework some deals, including yours. They’ve done it before, sliding you that $5 million last year to keep you happy. They’ll do it again if you make it clear you’re not bolting. Don’t let a few million dollars tear you away from a team that’s one play away from an NFC Championship.
Now, let’s talk about Cooper Kupp. We’re upset about this, Matthew—we LOVE Cooper. The idea that the Rams are shopping your best friend, your go-to guy, the dude who’s caught more of your passes than anyone in LA? It’s a gut punch. Kupp’s been a pillar of this franchise for eight years, and now they’re ready to ship him off because he’s 32 and his $29.8 million cap hit. The fact is, his performance over the last 3 years doesn’t match his contract. A harsh reality for receivers who have a significant injury history and are on the wrong side of 30. We saw what you two did together—Super Bowl LVI MVP, triple-crown receiver, clutch plays; that was then, this is now. And yeah, we heard Kelly on her podcast, calling out how insane it is to ditch him when we were this close to another Super Bowl. To some degree she is right. Trading Kupp feels like the Rams are giving up on a “load-bearing wall”. But here’s the kicker: if that’s one of the reasons you aren’t happy, it makes things even worse. If Kupp’s gone, we need you more than ever to hold this thing together. Do you think Puka Nacua and Jordan Whittington can carry us without you? You’re the one who makes this offense hum, with or without Coop.
Look, Matthew, we’re not naive. We know the Rams are at a crossroads. They’ve got young stars like Puka, Jared Verse, and Kyren Williams on cheap deals, and they’re drooling over the idea of a long-term QB to grow with them, but with this QB draft class, that ain’t going to happen. You’re 37, not 41 (yeah, those 3 years make a difference) and you didn’t just blow out your Achilles. You’ve got years left in that cannon of an arm, and we’ve seen you outduel the best in the league—Philly, San Fran, you name it. The Rams might be tempted to hit the reset button, but trading you for a first-round pick or some shiny new toy? That’s a fantasy for teams like the Giants or Steelers, not us. You’re our shot at another ring right now, not some draft pick who might pan out in 2028. Sean McVay knows it—he’s said over and over how much he needs you. Don’t let the front office’s cold feet or Kupp’s exit make you think we don’t want you here. We do. We need you here.
So here’s our demand, Stafford: stay. Fight through the contract mess, demand the money you deserve without kneecapping the front office, and don’t let Kupp’s trade rumors—or worse, an actual trade—push you out the door. You’re the heart of this team, the guy who brought us a championship when we’d been starving for one since ’99. We’re begging you—don’t turn your back on us because the suits upstairs are playing chess with your legacy. You’re a Ram, damn it, and we’re not ready to see you in some other jersey. Fix this with Snead, get paid, and let’s run it back in 2025. We’re one play away, Matthew. One play. Don’t bail on us now… retire as a Ram and enjoy the Malibu sunsets.
And, please talk to Kelly, we admire her loyalty, but the Podcast thing is maddening.
With all our anger, love, and desperation,
The Rams Faithful
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