A360
Key Takeaways✦ Atlas AI
01
Stafford's back injury was severe.
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IR placement was seriously considered.
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Wellness chamber aided his return.
Atlas AI
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford dealt with a significant back issue during the 2025 preseason, prompting the team to consider placing him on injured reserve ahead of Week 1. Such a move would have sidelined him for at least four games under league rules. Instead, Stafford returned to practice on August 18 after missing the first month of training camp and was cleared to start the opener. He went on to deliver one of the strongest seasons of his career while playing every game.
Coach Sean McVay later described how close the Rams came to putting Stafford on temporary IR when the injury failed to respond early in camp. Staff spoke with the quarterback about stepping back to avoid rushing a timeline, according to McVay’s recounting in a podcast interview. The team ultimately held off, keeping the door open for a late-camp return that materialized just in time.
Stafford’s ramp-up included extensive use of an Ammortal Chamber, a high-end wellness device that combines non-invasive recovery technologies. McVay referenced the quarterback using the chamber throughout training camp and again later in the season, crediting those sessions along with Stafford’s mindset for helping him reach Week 1 readiness. Visuals from camp showed Stafford spending time in the unit during early August as he worked back toward full participation.
Team weighed IR as back injury lingered
The Rams reported to training camp on July 22, and Stafford did not take part in a practice until August 18. During that window, staff and coaches evaluated whether IR was the prudent path, given that a temporary move would have removed the pressure of an immediate return while guaranteeing at least a four-game absence. The decision not to proceed meant Stafford could target the opener and continue to test his back on a day-by-day basis.
Even in the week leading up to the season, McVay acknowledged internal concern about the quarterback’s availability. The staff was “nervous” about whether he would be ready for the start, McVay said, underscoring how late the determination came. By kickoff, however, Stafford was cleared and under center.
Why four missed games could have reshaped seeding
With Stafford active, Los Angeles started 3-1 over the first four games, a stretch that included a 14-9 win over the Houston Texans in Week 1. Had the Rams placed him on IR, veteran Jimmy Garoppolo was in line to start those contests, and results could have shifted. A single early loss, such as a flipped result against Houston, would have had ripple effects across the standings.
Los Angeles finished the regular season 12-5 and secured the No. 5 seed. Turning the Week 1 win into a loss would have dropped the Rams to 11-6 and, holding all else equal, pushed them to the No. 6 seed. The Texans, meanwhile, would have benefited in the AFC South race on a strength-of-victory tiebreaker. While the ultimate champion may not have changed, the wildcard slate and subsequent paths would have looked different.
Wellness, workload and what comes next
Stafford’s case illustrated how close-call health decisions can shape a season’s opening month and, by extension, playoff positioning. It also highlighted how teams blend conservative timelines with emerging recovery tools to keep key players available. For the Rams, keeping their starter off IR proved decisive in preserving a strong start without sacrificing the bigger picture.
Attention now turns to how Los Angeles manages Stafford’s workload and recovery planning going forward. The team’s approach in camp and in-season, coupled with contingency depth at quarterback, will remain a storyline to monitor into 2026.
