Matthew Stafford tells wife Kelly that this is not his last season

There have been countless rumors swirling around Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford this offseason, from “not being able to throw” to being on the trade block to refusing to renegotiate his contract and “frustrating” the team, but you can’t ask for a more reliable source to a player than his own family. Kelly Stafford’s podcast The Morning After has been a wealth of information about her husband’s NFL career and she delivered again this week by revealing the status of Matt’s elbow and how he’s feeling as he enters his 15th training camp.

She knew that Stafford would feel more prepared this time because he didn’t throw at all during the 2022 offseason, but when Kelly assumed that this is his last year the veteran quarterback was quick to deny rumors...from his wife.

“Try and enjoy it. It’s your last year, he was like “What?” I was like ‘oh shit, maybe, it’s closer to the end and it’s not your last year, it’s closer to the end’ type situation. I don’t think he’s there yet. He feels really good right now. It’s the first time he’s felt this good going into camp in I don’t know how long. He’s like “I feel so much more prepared” because last year he didn’t throw a ball all offseason. He’s had a full offseason of work, his elbow feel’s good. The only thing that feels like shit on him is he got eaten alive at Manhattan Beach by mosquitos.”

Kelly Stafford told Matthew to “enjoy” his “last year” and he responded with confusion, according to her on the latest episode of the podcast. She added “I don’t think he’s there yet” when it came to whether or not 2023 would be his final season, and that “it’s the first time he’s felt this good going into camp in I don’t know how long.”

Noting that the only part of his body that’s aching this time is from mosquito bites.

It’s a waste of time these days to guess when a quarterback is nearing “retirement age” because we’ve seen one player last until he’s 45, while most others still struggle to stay ahead of their peers on the back end of their 30s. Most recently, Matt Ryan retired at 37, but he should have probably stepped away at least a year sooner.

Stafford is 35 and he’s missed half of the season in two of the last four years. But he didn’t miss a single game in any other season dating back to 2011. his third year in the league.

In a game of “he said, she said” it’s safe to not assume who is right. But this time, I would trust what she said that he said.

Matthew Stafford isn’t approaching 2023 like it’s the end.