Donald appeared on The Inner Circle podcast and praised Stafford’s performance this season, calling it MVP-caliber and noting the 17th-year signal-caller still played at an All-Pro level to help the Rams reach the title game. He said he reached out to Stafford after the loss to Seattle to offer support.
While acknowledging he doesn’t have inside information, Donald said his read is that Stafford is inclined to return. “If I had to assume, I think he’ll come back for another season,” Donald said, though he emphasized the final decision rests with Stafford.
Donald also spoke to the emotional side of the decision, saying he understands the exhaustion and desire to come back and compete again. If Stafford still has the “fire” to play, Donald would welcome watching him in 2026; if not, he understands the choice and would support Stafford either way.
Beyond Donald’s take, other insiders have signaled that Stafford is headed back for another year. SI.com’s Greg Bishop reported that Stafford isn’t planning to retire under the terms of his two-year deal that began last season, a contract that included a potential retirement option but allowed for continued play if both sides continued to assess annually.
Bishop and others noted that the handshake deal to return remains in place, and no one in Stafford’s inner circle believes retirement is imminent, even if another championship were won. The prevailing view is that Stafford will decide in the coming months based on his own assessment of readiness and desire to compete.
In sum, the retirement question surrounding Matthew Stafford remains unsettled, but the prevailing sentiment from Donald and other reporting points toward a likely return for 2026, pending Stafford’s personal decision. Continued updates are expected as Stafford evaluates his options in the coming weeks.
