At 38 years old, Matthew Stafford is one of the oldest players in the NFL. He’s also coming off his first league MVP and return to the Los Angeles Rams for his 18th NFL season.So, if you’re wondering how he keeps finding motivation to perform at an elite level when most quarterbacks his age are either retired or fading, he’ll tell you: he tricks himself.
Stafford opened up about his mindset on the Magic Minds podcast about how he prepares himself for games despite his older age.
“There’s the competitive fire in me to be like, yeah, I’m 38, but watch me go,” Stafford said. “I kind of probably trick myself and talk myself into feeling that a lot — just old guy trying to figure it out — and in my head I’m like, that’s me just me motivating myself to show people what it’s all about.”
He also described how his actual game has evolved to match where he is in his career. Gone are the days when he can just sling the ball around the field at will. He is now more methodical with his approach to plays and uses his mind more to make the right reads and set his team up for success.
“I can’t run around as much as I used to and make these throws where I throw it 80 yards up to [former Detroit Lions receiver] Calvin [Johnson] and he goes up and makes his catch,” Stafford said. “Now the fun is a little bit more nuanced — and now the cameras are everywhere, so they get to see some of the things I try to do to help make our plays that are already great a little bit better.
“I know what it takes. It takes a lot of work, a lot of support from my family, a lot of teammates and a lot of people around me — and then some luck as well.”
Stafford proved that age is just a number in 2025 when he put together one of the best seasons of his long career. His 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns led all NFL quarterbacks this past season. Those passing yards were his best since the Rams won the Super Bowl during Stafford’s first season in L.A. in 2021, and the passing touchdowns were Stafford’s best career-best overall.
The aging veteran is back for at least one more year in L.A. after he signed a new deal with the team. While the contract gives Stafford the ability to come back again in 2027, that will depend on how he feels following the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Matthew Stafford reveals the ‘trick’ fueling his elite play at 38
Reporting by Oliver G., Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
