There will be no Matthew Stafford trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Feb. 28 that Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams have agreed to restructure his contract. That will keep him with the Rams for the 2025 NFL season.
Multiple other reporters also tweeted on Feb. 28 Stafford will be returning to the Rams.
“LA’s quarterback is back: the Rams and Matthew Stafford reached agreement today on a restructured deal that keeps him in Los Angeles and quashes any and all trade speculation, per sources,” wrote Schefter on X (formerly Twitter).
“The first significant off-season QB domino has fallen.”
Obviously, this is bad news for any Steelers fan who wanted Stafford to come to Pittsburgh. The Super Bowl winning quarterback won’t be going anywhere this offseason.
But Stafford’s decision could also have a negative impact on the Steelers targeting another free agent quarterback.
QB Matthew Stafford Staying with the Los Angeles Rams
The Rams and Stafford were set to hold a meeting together before the weekend. In that meeting, the two sides reached an agreement on a new contract.
Details about the new deal were not disclosed in the first 30 minutes after news of the contract agreement broke. Stafford, though, will enter his fifth season with the Rams this fall.
The Steelers were one of a few potential landing spots for Stafford if he changed teams this spring. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Feb. 21 the Rams gave Stafford permission to discuss trade possibilities with other teams.
But after seeking out his options, one of which included the Steelers, Stafford decided he wanted to return to the Rams.
The Steelers trading for Stafford always seemed like a long shot. However, Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Feb. 26 that, along with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants, the Steelers were among the top three candidates to trade for Stafford.
At the NFL Combine, Steelers general manager Omar Khan said “all options” were on the table when it came to addressing quarterback this offseason. Khan suggested a Stafford-Steelers trade was “fake news” but clearly, he also didn’t rule out the possibility.
How Stafford Decision Could Impact Steelers QB Search
Any Steelers fan that wanted the team to add the best possible immediate upgrade behind center will be disappointed with Stafford’s decision to stay in Los Angeles. But fans in Steelers Nation that didn’t want the team to trade for Stafford could also be disappointed eventually.
Not only is Stafford not going to Pittsburgh, he isn’t heading to New York or Las Vegas either. So, the Giants and Raiders will remain suitors for other quarterbacks the Steelers may be interested in.
More than likely, the Steelers are targeting to re-sign either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson. But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler called the Giants a “sleeper option” for Fields on Feb. 16. Pundits have also linked Wilson to the Raiders because Las Vegas hired Wilson’s former head coach, Pete Carroll, this offseason.
The good news for the Steelers, though, is the Giants appear to have another quarterback preference over Fields. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported New York is “shifting” its interest to Aaron Rodgers.
The first quarterback domino is off the board with Stafford. The Steelers didn’t win the sweepstakes, and since another quarterback-needy team didn’t either, things are only likely to heat up in the quarterback market.
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