SAN FRANCISCO — Matthew Stafford waited until the end of his speech to make the announcement, letting the room breathe, letting the night belong to everyone else first. Then came the mic-drop truth bomb: He wasn’t satisfied with how it ended, with the Rams falling short against the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game, and he wasn’t done chasing another Lombardi Trophy. He would be back for an 18th NFL season in 2026.
The ballroom at NFL Honors exploded. Sean McVay sprang out of his seat and punched the air toward the camera, a man whose entire future had just snapped into focus. Applause rolled through the room, half shock, half relief.
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.










