Matthew Stafford is coming off an MVP season and will be chasing another title in 2026. However, as the Rams quarterback approaches 40, he’s seeking advice from two legends.

Will the 2026 season be MVP Matthew Stafford’s last in the NFL?

“It’s a decision I have to make year by year, because I think that’s fair to the team, fair to me, and fair to my family—I don’t want to just sit there and say, ‘Okay, in 24 months I have to be ready to play another football season,’” said the 38-year-old on the “Green Light” podcast hosted by two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long.

He continued: “I think to myself: Phew, that just seems like a lot. I know I’m ready to play this year. And hopefully I’ll feel great at the end of next year and be ready for another season after that. And then maybe we’ll just keep going like this,” Stafford emphasized.

Planning too far ahead doesn’t make sense to the Los Angeles Rams’ star quarterback: “But committing to more than that seems a little scary to me. And I think it’s a little unfair to the team and to myself.”

Stafford Seeks Advice from Brady and Brees

As his 40th birthday draws nearer, the playmaker is seeking advice from two quarterback legends who were still able to perform at a high level well into their football careers. “I’ve talked to Tom Brady a little bit, and I’ve also talked to Drew Brees a little bit about it,” Stafford said.

Brady played until the age of 45 after coming out of retirement and is the second-oldest quarterback ever to appear in an NFL game. Brees played until the age of 42, making him the ninth-oldest quarterback in NFL history. George Blanda of the Raiders holds the age record at 48.

One would assume that the late 30s mark the beginning of the end of a quarterback’s career. However, the Saints legend surprised Stafford with his unique perspective on the topic: “I think one of the things that surprised me was that I was talking to Drew—this was before last season—and he said, ‘ ‘How old are you again?’ I said, ‘I’m 37.’ He said, ‘The best five years of your career might still be ahead of you.’ And I just thought, ‘Huh?’“

Brees’ perspective opened up a whole new way of thinking for Stafford: ”I’d never really thought about it that way before. As a player in this league, you’re taught that it’s a game for young men, and the older you get, the more you just do everything you can to keep up with the others. And the fact that Drew said that somehow motivated me and gave me a little bit of faith that maybe even an old-timer can go out there and turn things around a bit.”

Stafford Still Delivering Top Performances in His Late 30s

Even at an advanced age, there’s still no sign of a decline in Stafford’s performance. Last season, he led the league in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46) with just eight interceptions. The MVP award was therefore only logical.

Even though his performance remains beyond reproach, Stafford sticks to his short-term plans: “So the last thing I want to do is sign a five-year contract and then say after a year, ‘Oh man, I’m ready to retire. I want to spend time with my family.'”

From his perspective, that wouldn’t be fair to his franchise either: “They’d be left sitting there with four years still on paper and having already made all kinds of plans based on the assumption that I’d still be there. I also don’t want to play football without being fully committed and just going through the motions,” the quarterback continued.

Stafford already achieved this in the 2021 season; the previous season ended in the NFC Championship Game against the eventual champions, the Seattle Seahawks. In 2026, the focus is on chasing the next Super Bowl victory: “I don’t know how much longer I want to play. I know I’m looking forward to playing this year, and after that, we’ll see.”

This offseason, the veteran signed a contract extension with the Rams that ties him to the franchise through the 2027 season—by which time he’ll be 39 years old. Stafford’s birthday is on February 7, and since the Super Bowl will conclude the 2027 season on February 13, 2028, he could—should the Rams make it to the championship game—play the season after next at age 40 without having to play another full season.