Though it’s been several years since Matthew Stafford was the quarterback for the Detroit Lions, many still follow his career closely. Stafford was Detroit’s official starter from 2009 through 2020, and while he never led the Lions to the Super Bowl, fans in Detroit still hold him in high regard. Jared Goff is now the Rams’ quarterback, but tracking Stafford’s journey feels a bit like keeping tabs on an old flame.

Stafford has returned to the Los Angeles Rams for what could be his final season. At 37, he signed a new deal with the Rams in the offseason, but questions remain about how long he’ll actually remain with the team.

An NFL analyst recently named the Rams as a team likely to pursue a new quarterback soon.

In a May 9 article for Bleacher Report, NFL analyst Brad Gagnon evaluated teams’ urgency in finding a reliable quarterback after the 2025 draft, using factors such as age, career trajectory, experience, contracts, injuries, and team status.

Gagnon lists several teams that may seek a franchise quarterback next offseason or even sooner. Notably, the Rams are included among those teams.

“Matthew Stafford is back for another year, but there’s a strong possibility he’ll retire after this season,” Gagnon writes. “The Rams may also decide to move on if they don’t want to keep a costly quarterback who is arguably past his prime, especially considering his 91.8 passer rating since early 2022.”

Gagnon identified the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team with the greatest need for a quarterback, unsurprising given their wait for Aaron Rodgers.

Stafford has an admirer in Colin Cowherd. On the May 7 episode of “The Herd,” Cowherd suggested Stafford might surpass Rodgers in greatness, a bold claim.

“Matthew Stafford will never struggle financially, and while he could’ve faced challenges with a weaker offensive line like New York’s, he’s made a smart move,” Cowherd said. “I’ve believed for a while that if Stafford reaches another Super Bowl and wins — and I think there are about six teams capable, including the Rams — he could be viewed historically better than Rodgers.”

He added, “If you compare Aaron Rodgers and Matt Stafford since the 2021 playoffs, Stafford has clearly improved as a playoff quarterback. Both have won a Super Bowl, but Stafford outshined Rodgers in high school, college, and the NFL’s first four years, and he’s been better the past four seasons.”