At 37, Matthew Stafford is delivering one of the strongest statistical seasons of his 17-year NFL career, positioning himself as a legitimate contender for his first league MVP award.

The Los Angeles Rams quarterback is dominating across virtually every meaningful statistic. He leads the NFL in passing touchdowns (35), passer rating (113.1), touchdown-to-interception ratio (8.8), and completions of at least 20 yards (50). He ranks fourth in passing yards with 3,354.

When asked about the MVP chatter, Stafford deflected with characteristic pragmatism.

"I'll let all that other stuff take care of itself. It's not something that's difficult for me to compartmentalize. That's the whole position. That's what this whole job is. I'm here, I'm all-in when I'm here."

Hall of Fame Implications

Stafford's torrid season has significant consequences for his long-term legacy. He needs just seven touchdown passes to pass Ben Roethlisberger (418) and climb to eighth all-time in touchdown passes. He's already eighth all-time in passing yards (63,136) and just 278 yards away from overtaking Philip Rivers (63,440) for seventh place—though Rivers unexpectedly returned from retirement this week and signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

The timing matters: Drew Brees, Eli Manning, and Rivers are all semifinalists for the Hall of Fame this year. Roethlisberger and Cam Newton become eligible for the 2027 class, while Tom Brady and Matt Ryan qualify for 2028.

Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the team, but his Hall of Fame résumé carries notable gaps. He has never been selected to an All-Pro team, earned just two Pro Bowl invitations, and hasn't made an All-Decade team.

This season changes the calculation. Stafford has already accumulated career numbers that profile him as a legitimate Hall of Fame candidate. With a year remaining on his contract worth $40 million in 2026, he's building a compelling case for induction five years after retirement.

The Final Sprint

With four regular-season games remaining, Stafford and the 10-3 Rams hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 46% chance of clinching the top seed, according to Next Gen Stats.

Los Angeles faces Detroit on Sunday—a matchup against the team where Stafford spent his first 12 seasons, totaling 45,109 passing yards and 296 touchdowns, both franchise records. He's 1-2 all-time against his former team, including playoffs.

The schedule tightens after that. The Rams face the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks on the road after narrowly defeating them 21-19 earlier this season, then finish against Atlanta and Arizona.

Rams head coach Sean McVay has become Stafford's most vocal advocate.

"When that guy's our quarterback, everybody believes we always have a chance. There's such a reverence and a respect. He has such great humility, but he's the man at the same time. That is an incredible way to be able to balance it."

From Doubt to Magic

The arc of this season is striking. Last summer, Stafford watched training camp from the sidelines with back issues, uncertain he could even suit up for the regular season. Instead, he's playing at an MVP level with a legitimate chance to win another championship.

Stafford insists his focus remains on winning another Super Bowl and securing postseason home-field advantage, not individual accolades. But with four games left, all possibilities remain available in what could become a Hall of Fame-defining season—one that produces both an MVP award and cements his induction credentials simultaneously.