The Los Angeles Rams received encouraging news this week as Matthew Stafford returned to practice following concerns about his durability entering his 16th NFL season.
The two-time Pro Bowler and 2022 Super Bowl champion has been managing his body carefully through the early stages of preparation, but recent sessions have provided optimism about his readiness for the upcoming campaign.
Stafford spoke with reporters about his current condition and the work he has put in during his preparation phase.
> “Doing everything we can to try to get to feeling as good as I can,” Stafford [told](https://www.nfl.com/news/rams-matthew-stafford-says-he-s-doing-everything-under-the-sun-to-address-back-injury#:~:text=%22Doing%20everything%20we,to%20stack%20days.%22) reporters. “Just really everything I could possibly do. Done a ton of research just trying to help myself out. Good things is I feel pretty good the last couple of days out there practicing. Was able to do a little bit more than I thought I was going to be able to do the first day, and then just been trying to stack days.”
The veteran quarterback has been candid about the challenges of managing his body at this stage of his career.
He acknowledged that recovery remains unpredictable, with some days feeling better than others.
Stafford expressed appreciation for the patience shown by the coaching staff and their willingness to take a flexible approach with his workload.
Thursday marked Stafford’s third straight full practice without any restrictions on his throwing or movement.
Head coach Sean McVay has not provided official confirmation, but the quarterback appears positioned to start when the Rams face Houston on September 7 in their season opener.
Stafford initially planned to limit himself to individual drills when he returned to practice Monday.
However, he quickly discovered he could handle full participation without issues.
Thursday’s session included complete team repetitions, giving him opportunities to work against live pass rush situations and build chemistry with his receivers.
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