On Thursday, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford might win the NFL MVP award at the NFL Honors event in San Francisco in the lead-up to Super Bowl LX.
After a historic 17-year career, the veteran Stafford played at the highest level he’s ever shown in the NFL, leading the league with 46 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions.
Although the Rams’ general manager, Les Snead, and head coach, Sean McVay, want Stafford to return for his 18th year and take another shot at a Super Bowl after coming up just short against the Seattle Seahawks, nothing has been decided.
Stafford has said he will take time before ultimately choosing if he wants to play football next year or retire.
If Stafford does retire, we might have found out what the Rams’ plan is for a new starting quarterback in 2026.
Per Brock Vierra of Sports Illustrated, anonymous NFL executives have told them that if Stafford retires, the Rams are expected to make a “tremendous push” for Cincinnati Bengals superstar.
Snead and McVay are no strangers to Burrow, whom they faced in the Super Bowl four years ago to win the Lombardi Trophy. Stafford outdid the young Burrow in the fourth quarter to take the lead and win the grandest prize in the sport.
Burrow, who was openly unhappy at times this year in Cincinnati, has recently said he’s happy to play for the Bengals, but that hasn’t stopped rumors about his future from circulating. The three-time Pro Bowler has been outspoken about his goal to return to the Super Bowl and win, and the Bengals have failed to make the playoffs for three straight seasons.
If the Rams did go all-in on Burrow following Stafford’s retirement, they do have two first-rounders in the upcoming NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. They have the Atlanta Falcons’ 13th overall pick after making a deal with them last year.
Two first-rounders alone wouldn’t be enough to get Burrow, however, as it might take four, five, or maybe even six premium picks to get any response from the Bengals that isn’t a slamming of the phone.
Burrow is currently under a five-year, $275 million contract with the Bengals that runs through the 2029 season.