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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 10: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after defeating the Carolina Panthers with a score of 34 to 31 in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Bank of America Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford fell short of his second Super Bowl appearance since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles in 2021, but will get at least one more chance to make it.
Stafford had been surrounded by retirement rumors heading into the last offseason, but ultimately decided to return to the Los Angeles Rams on a two-year contract. The Rams reportedly had a deal in place with Stafford that would allow him to mull over his NFL future after this season and decide whether to return or retire, but Stafford may have made that decision already — even before his team’s title game loss.
Matthew Stafford Set on Retirement Decision
Though Stafford led the Rams to a late rally in Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the rival Seattle Seahawks, they ran out of time and lost 31-27. Stafford would have had the chance to cement his Hall of Fame resume with another Super Bowl win, but SI.com’s Greg Bishop reported that Stafford is ready to return and try again in 2026.
“The handshake deal remains in place,” Bishop wrote. “Each year, Stafford and the Rams will do their own assessments. Never say never, but no one in his inner circle believes Stafford will retire after this season, even if he wins another championship and could retire, like Elway, completing the rarest sendoff in pro football—out on top.”
The Rams return many of their important pieces both on offense and defense, giving Stafford a roster expected to again compete for the NFC West and a Super Bowl.
The Lions have also found success with their main piece from the Stafford trade. Quarterback Jared Goff helped turn the Lions into title contenders, though they took a step back this season and fell short of the playoffs.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell put to rest any speculation that the team could move on from Goff after the disappointing season, calling him a “study” in an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket.
“Jared Goff is a stud. He’s an absolute stud. We’re fortunate to have him as a quarterback,” Campbell said. “He’s a winning quarterback in this league. He played at a very high level all season long.”
Matthew Stafford Could Advance Hall of Fame Legacy
Stafford didn’t always appear on track for a Hall of Fame legacy. He endured a difficult tenure in Detroit, turning in some excellent individual play but struggling with thin rosters. Stafford earned just one Pro Bowl selection with the Lions and no wins in his one playoff appearances, but found immediate success with the Rams after being traded in 2021.
Owen Hillman of USA Today’s UGA Wire suggested that Stafford could have another big NFL honor coming, either the AP Offensive Player or the Year or, more likely, a league MVP award.
“The OPOY is a great award, but to quarterbacks, it is often considered a consolation prize for not winning MVP,” Hillman wrote. “With Stafford leading the league in passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46) while having just eight interceptions, it’s unlikely that Stafford doesn’t win MVP or OPOY, so with that logic, it should be a done deal that Stafford wins MVP.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
Browns Reportedly Hire Todd Monken to be New Head Coach
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The Browns have hired former Ravens’ offensive coordinator Todd Monken to be their new head coach
The Cleveland Browns‘ search for a new head coach has been filled with quite a few twists and turns. After surprisingly deciding to fire Kevin Stefanski after the 2025 campaign wrapped up, the Browns began an in-depth search for a new leader, with a true frontrunner for the job failing to emerge.
On Wednesday morning, though, it appears that Cleveland has finally locked in on its new head coach after a multi-week search. After dealing with tons of rumors about the lack of candidates for this gig, the Browns have gone out and stolen the Baltimore Ravens‘ offensive coordinator by hiring Todd Monken to be their new head coach.
Browns Hire Todd Monken as New Head Coach
Despite all the success Stefanski had enjoyed in previous years with the Browns, that was not enough to save him from a miserable 2025 campaign. While he quickly latched on with the Atlanta Falcons as their new head coach, it took Cleveland a bit longer to find a proper replacement for the two-time Coach of the Year winner.
Reports emerged indicating just how in-depth Cleveland’s search was, which led to several candidates withdrawing from the running for the job. At the end, it seemed like the team’s defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, Los Angeles Rams‘ pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and Monken were the team’s top remaining candidates.
Monken has never been a head coach in the NFL, although he spent three years as the Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach in the college realm from 2013 to 2015. Now, he will get a shot to lead the Browns, with the team hoping that his experience working on the offensive side of the ball will help Shedeur Sanders as he presumably gets a shot to make the starting quarterback job his own in 2026.
“ESPN Sources: the Cleveland Browns are hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their next head coach,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Did the Browns Make the Right Decision to Hire Todd Monken?
GettyFormer Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
While the decision to hire Monken doesn’t really hurt the Ravens, given that he likely wasn’t going to return to the team as their offensive coordinator in the wake of John Harbaugh’s firing, it does hurt Harbaugh’s new team, the New York Giants. That’s because, assuming Monken didn’t land a head coach gig, he was widely expected to follow Harbaugh to New York and continue working as his offensive coordinator.
Things didn’t exactly end on a high note for Monken in Baltimore, but it’s clear that Cleveland values his experience as an offensive coordinator, which should serve the team well as it attempts to get its act together on that side of the ball. Of course, Monken is going to need some better players at his disposal if he’s going to have a proper shot at succeeding with the Browns, so it will now be up to the front office to rebuild the roster ahead of the upcoming 2026 campaign.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli