Stafford nearly – Rams coach Sean McVay says Matthew Stafford’s preseason back injury was so slow to respond that the team nearly placed him on temporary injured reserve before Week 1—before Stafford ultimately returned after time in a recovery process.
For a quarterback like Matthew Stafford, Week 1 isn’t supposed to be a close call. But as the Rams opened the 2025 season, there was a moment when Stafford’s back injury nearly decided his availability.
Rams coach Sean McVay said on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast that Stafford’s preseason back issue didn’t respond the way the team had hoped. McVay described sitting down with him and realizing they were running out of comfort.
“What people don’t realize is how close — [Stafford] and I sat down — and I was like, ‘Hey, this isn’t responding the way we had hoped,’” McVay said. “Let’s put you on temporary IR so we don’t put this, where we feel like this anxiety of having to hit a timeline to be ready to go.’”
Stafford had tweaked his back during the downtime between the offseason program and the start of training camp. McVay said Stafford didn’t practice until August 18, a detail that underscores how long the uncertainty lingered inside the building.
McVay also tied the situation to a misunderstanding that had circulated earlier. In a March appearance on PFT Live. he said other teams thought Stafford was simply getting extended time off during camp. In the more recent interview, McVay walked through a story Stafford shared around the Rams’ matchup in London against Jacksonville.
“We’re playing in London against Jacksonville,” McVay said. “Matthew comes to me before the game. and he goes. ‘How about this?’ He goes. ‘I’m talking to the Jacksonville staff. Those guys are like. ‘Man. that’s pretty cool of Sean to let you have off of camp and use the back injury to do that.’ And he’s like. ‘The fuck you talking about. man?. The back injury was real as shit.’ We were nervous as hell. I mean, it was a week before we’re playing Houston.”.
McVay’s point, delivered through Stafford’s reaction, was blunt: the back injury wasn’t a scheduling loophole. The Rams were dealing with real health risk, and the timeline mattered.
The recovery reportedly came together in time—McVay referenced time in an “Ammortal chamber”—and Stafford ultimately made it work. Still, the risk didn’t disappear after the first game. With Stafford now 38. McVay’s comments land in the middle of a broader reality for the Rams: back problems can return. and last year’s outcome doesn’t guarantee the same luck twice.
That is why the question of depth has suddenly grown louder. Whether the Rams are prepared with an understudy like rookie Ty Simpson or Stetson Bennett—or if Jimmy Garoppolo ends up in the picture if he decides to play again—remains to be seen. For now. McVay’s admission makes one thing clear: even when everything turns out fine. it almost didn’t. and the margin for error has never been wider than it was at the start of 2025.
Sean McVay Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams IR Week 1 back injury Ty Simpson Stetson Bennett Jimmy Garoppolo 2025 season
So they almost put Stafford on IR… but people acting like it was nothing lol. Back injuries are always a mess.
I don’t get it, if it was responding “slow,” why not just rest him the whole week? Like what was the rush. And now it’s like the other teams thought he was just getting extra time off… that part sounds weird.
Temporary IR for week 1?? Isn’t that like… basically the same as just sitting him? Also the London/Jacksonville thing got me like wait did he already talk to them before the injury stuff or after. Either way, QB back injuries feel cursed.
Man I always say coaches hide stuff, and then it’s “running out of comfort”?? Okay. Meanwhile he didn’t practice until Aug 18 which means they knew forever, like what timeline were they even trying to hit. Makes me think it’s either about betting or politics or something, not just the back.