Rams' Matthew Stafford trails only one NFL quarterback before 2026 season

Rams’ Matthew Stafford trails only one NFL quarterback before 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is an official MVP winner. He had a stellar season, and that has to feel good. Picking up the honor at the end of the 2025-26 season marked his first time ever getting the award. But, is it enough to make him the No. 1 quarterback in the league?

Not quite. At least, not according to the powers that be at The Athletic.

On Tuesday, The Athletic released their 2026 NFL Quarterback Tiers results. On the list, Stafford is ranked No. 2. He’s tied with Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and behind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, at No. 1.

Matthew Stafford is behind Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes in NFL ranking

Now, both Allen and Mahomes have also won MVP awards, so there’s that. But, there’s an argument to be made that Allen, who hasn’t taken his team to the Super Bowl, shouldn’t be tied with Stafford in this ranking. Regardless, No. 2, even if it’s a tie, is still solid.

“He runs the show, and there are only a few quarterbacks left who can do that,” one defensive coach said. “He can rip it from any arm angle. His look-off throws are a freak show. If you cut up all his throws where he looks somewhere and rips it to the other side, it’s nuts.”

So, what was against him getting higher? According to the report, age of 38 and “durability” were the only negatives from voters. Frankly, Stafford seems to be getting better with age, much like LeBron James, so when this season is over, don’t be surprised if he blasts past Mahomes.

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