What does Matthew Stafford’s contract extension mean for Ty Simpson?

When the Los Angeles Rams stunned the NFL by selecting Ty Simpson out of Alabama with the No. 13 overall pick on April 23, the franchise appeared to be planning for a future without Matthew Stafford. At that time, the veteran quarterback had only one year remaining on his deal.

That future shifted slightly on Thursday night when the team announced that Stafford has signed a contract extension. While the Rams kept official terms quiet, both NFL Network and ESPN reported the move is a one-year extension worth $55 million, effectively tethering Stafford to Los Angeles through the 2027 season.

A High Bar for the Heir Apparent

Stafford enters the upcoming season at 37 years old coming off a stellar 2025 campaign, where he led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes on his way to earning the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award. With the Rams coming off an NFC Championship Game appearance, the prevailing opinion entering the draft was that the team might look for an immediate impact player to push them toward a Super Bowl title.

Instead, they selected Simpson, the second quarterback off the board in this year’s class. By locking in Stafford for another year, the Rams have effectively delayed the timeline for the former Alabama standout to take the reins. Simpson, who led the Crimson Tide to an 11-4 record and a College Football Playoff berth in 2025, finished his final collegiate season completing 305-of-473 passes for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions.

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You can find more background on the decision to select the Alabama product in our previous coverage regarding the No. 13 selection in the draft.