Accompanied by his four daughters, Matthew Stafford collected his first AP NFL Most Valuable Player accolade and subsequently announced his intent to return to play for the Los Angeles Rams in February.
Two months and 13 selections later, those Rams shocked the world when they selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, choosing to tab Stafford's heir apparent rather than stock a Super Bowl-ready roster.
For the 38-year-old Stafford, the addition of Simpson changes nothing regarding his approach to a season with the highest of potential.
"I think my job, first and foremost, is to get myself and our team ready to play as best I possibly can," Stafford said Thursday, speaking to the media for the initial time since Simpson was drafted and the reigning MVP signed an extension with the Rams. "He's a part of that team, there's no question about it. We're in a unique position in the fact that we play the same position. I have a ton of experience, and he's just now starting his journey as an NFL player. So, listen, I know he's gonna watch, not only me, but other guys, you know?"
Matters got a bit messy for the Rams in the direct aftermath of the Simpson pick, with Sean McVay's body language and tone when answering questions in the post-draft news conference leading to speculation that not everything was copacetic.
McVay and general manager Les Snead quickly let it be known everyone was on the same page and that Stafford had been told about the pick beforehand.
Though Stafford didn't pull back the curtain on any of the details of the conversation, he was appreciative of it and underscored that he understands the business of the game after 17 seasons.
"I'm not gonna get into much of what our conversation was," he said. "I appreciate him talking with me about those kind of things. We have constant dialogue and a great relationship, so I appreciate that. I understand where the team's coming from. Listen, I'm not 25 years old, and I get that. So, we're doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it."
In terms of the future, Simpson is on record that he believes he's in the best situation to prosper and is grateful of the talented veterans he'll get to learn from, Stafford included.
Stafford doesn't disagree.
"He's a guy that asks questions; I've been trying to answer those as honestly and as thoroughly as I possibly can," Stafford said. "He's a smart kid. He's got talent, obviously. He's a high draft pick. So, happy to add good players to our team. He's one of them. But my job is, you know, go out there and get myself and our team as ready to play as I possibly can."
The 2009 NFL Draft's No. 1 overall pick by the Detroit Lions is longer in the tooth and sporting plenty of grays in his summer beard (perhaps just as likely due to being a father of four), but Stafford is coming off arguably his best season as a pro.
He won his first passing title with 4,707 yards and likewise led the NFL with 46 touchdown passes. Thus, his decision to return came quickly and he's happy to have his contract situation settled, but he admitted nothing's guaranteed past the 2026 season.
"Happy to have next year taken care of if I decide to play, and, you know, if they still want me back," he said. "But just excited to get that behind me because I just want to come out here and play and not think about that kind of stuff. So, great to get that done sooner rather than later."
Stafford's one-year extension is essentially set up for a decision in March of 2027 to decide if the parties will continue their union. That's a ways away for Stafford, however.
"If I'm feeling healthy, and, you know, it's, like I said, it's a family decision -- I can't sit there and tell you what it's gonna look like 365 days from now," he said. "If you can, let me know. But, you know, it's just one of those deals where I'm doing the best I can to make sure that I can play as long as I can, and make sure that my family and I are all on the same page before we embark on whatever season it may be."
