New England Patriots - NESN.com
Tom Brady didn’t age like the typical athlete, continuing to compete at an elite level until he retired at the age of 45. That might not be a fair expectation for anyone to match.
By comparison to Brady’s 2022 swan song, Matthew Stafford remains a young gun. The 37-year-old led the Los Angeles Rams to a 42-26 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Brady watched Stafford amass 280 passing yards and four touchdowns while calling the NFC West matchup on Fox. The New England Patriots legend declared the star quarterback his “LFG Player of the Game.”
During their post-game interview, Brady joked that Stafford is just getting started.
“You’re only 37,” Brady told Stafford. “You got at least another eight years to play, so I can’t wait to watch all of them.”
Brady tossed 257 touchdowns and won three Super Bowls after he turned 38, but the NFL’s all-time passing leader is probably an aging anomaly. Aaron Rodgers is the NFL’s oldest active player, and the 41-year-old has hinted that this could be his final season.
Stafford also acknowledged before the start of the 2025 season that he could be nearing the finish line, but he certainly looks far from washed up.
The former No. 1 pick has a career-high 114.8 quarterback rating in his 17th season. Stafford has led the Rams to a 7-2 start with 2,427 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Drake Maye has jumped the line as the NFL’s MVP front-runner after Week 10, but Stafford could emerge as the New England star’s top competitor for the award. Stafford can make a huge statement when the Rams face the Seattle Seahawks in another huge division matchup this Sunday.
