Matthew Stafford will begin Rams training camp working on the side
The 37-year-old Stafford, who is entering his 17th NFL season, is experiencing back soreness and will have his workouts modified. He will begin camp working on the side with trainers, according to McVay.
Per Sean McVay, QB Matthew Stafford is dealing with some back soreness heading into this camp. Rams will modify his workouts, and he will start training camp working to the side with trainers. That's a five-day period, per McVay.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) July 22, 2025
Jimmy Garoppolo is Stafford's backup and Stetson Bennett is the other QB on the roster.
This offseason, the Rams signed six-time Pro Bowl receiver Davante Adams to a two-year, $46 million contract to add more firepower to the offense after releasing Cooper Kupp, who signed with the Seahawks.
The Rams open the season against the Houston Texans at home Sept. 7 at SoFi Stadium.
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Stafford joined the Rams in 2021 and led that team to a Super Bowl title while throwing for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdown passes. He played just nine games the following season while dealing with multiple injuries and played 15 and 16 games, respectively the past two seasons in L.A.
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'It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA
Wearing horn-rimmed glasses, a light blue suit with a UCLA lapel pin and tan wingtips, Nico Iamaleava settled into his seat on an elevated platform in front of about 30 reporters. 'How's everybody doing?' the new Bruins quarterback asked casually inside the convention center hall late Thursday afternoon, giving no hint that this was the most pressure he had faced since an attacking Ohio State defense sacked him four times in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. These reporters were almost as relentless. For more than 25 minutes during the final Big Ten media day, they peppered Iamaleava with questions about his decision to leave Tennessee on the eve of its spring game for a program with a lesser pedigree, prompting UCLA quarterback Joey Aguilar to take Iamaleava's spot in what essentially amounted to a college football trade. Read more: A year after stumbling at Big Ten media days, UCLA's DeShaun Foster is poised and confident What was Iamaleava's motivation in making his move? Was his dissatisfaction with Tennessee's name, image and likeness package a factor? Did he have to take a pay cut to come to UCLA? What was it like dealing with the fallout from jilted Tennessee fans? While failing to offer many specifics, Iamaleava patiently engaged every question, the Southern California native saying he was driven by a desire to play for a top program closer to his family in Long Beach. 'Ultimately,' the 6-foot-6 quarterback had told a small group of Los Angeles-based reporters earlier in the afternoon, 'it came down to me wanting to be back home, you know, be back home next to my family while still competing at the highest level.' Iamaleava pinned the timing of his departure from Tennessee on 'false reports' about financial demands that 'made me not feel comfortable in the position I was in. 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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
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‘It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA
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Did he have to take a pay cut to come to UCLA? What was it like dealing with the fallout from jilted Tennessee fans? While failing to offer many specifics, Iamaleava patiently engaged every question, the Southern California native saying he was driven by a desire to play for a top program closer to his family in Long Beach. 'Ultimately,' the 6-foot-6 quarterback had told a small group of Los Angeles-based reporters earlier in the afternoon, 'it came down to me wanting to be back home, you know, be back home next to my family while still competing at the highest level.' Iamaleava pinned the timing of his departure from Tennessee on 'false reports' about financial demands that 'made me not feel comfortable in the position I was in. But, you know, in the back of my head, I always wanted to come back home and be closer to my mom, be closer to my dad.' Tennessee was reportedly set to pay Iamaleava more than $2 million to play for the Volunteers this season. Declining to discuss his new NIL deal at UCLA, Iamaleava said he was focused on football and academics while trying to revive a program that has not won a conference championship since 1998. 'The realistic expectation for us,' Iamaleava said, 'is to bring championships back to Westwood, and, you know, the first day I stepped into the locker room, I felt that from every guy in there, that they've got a chip on their shoulder and that they want to go out there and prove people wrong.' Iamaleava will have to do it wearing a new number after attempts to get his preferred No. 8 — retired in honor of Troy Aikman — failed, leaving him with No. 9. He said he'll proudly wear the number to represent his seven siblings and two parents whom he credited for his humble nature. One of those siblings is now a teammate. 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Calling it 'a fun challenge,' Iamaleava said he was trying to quickly absorb a pro-style offense that he described as 'a little more condensed formations' than what he ran at Tennessee. The chance to play for offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, who has a history of immediate success with new quarterbacks, has invigorated Iamaleava. 'He's a high-energy guy,' Iamaleava said of Sunseri, 'and I wanted to go play for him the first day I met him.' Praising his entire wide receiving corps, Iamaleava said he had already developed good chemistry with Kwazi Gilmer, Mikey Matthews, Ezavier Staples and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala. He's gotten to know the offensive linemen through a bowling outing that also included the quarterbacks. 'He's a great person,' right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio said. 'He's got a good heart, and he really cares.' Not always. Iamaleava said he tuned out social media during his departure from Tennessee, shielding himself from the vitriol. 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Knock, knock. (Who is it?) Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, who could transform Steelers
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That Rodgers and Metcalf will be in such close proximity during training camp – and this camp comes with the need for some serious bonding with several prominent new faces in tow – comes with the potential for all sorts of intangible benefits. 'We can talk about a lot of stuff that we see the same on the field, conversations that we might not get to talk about in the meeting room,' Metcalf said. 'He gets to listen to a lot of my music tastes or hear me yell at the video game sometimes. But it will be fun having him across the hall.' Aaron Rodgers went to Mike Tomlin's backyard cookout. There was chemistry (and good food) They will expedite the curve of getting to know each other, that's for sure. Metcalf, the seventh-year veteran obtained in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks, enjoys playing video games in his spare time. Rodgers caught wind of that on Wednesday as Metcalf played an NCAA-themed game on his console. 'He walked in my room yesterday and said, 'Oh, you're gaming!'" 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Training camp clearly provides the setting to develop chemistry, and the Steelers' old-school setup – Pittsburgh is one of the few NFL teams that still goes away to a college campus for camp, at St. Vincent's College for the 58th year – amplifies that theme. In the case of Rodgers and Metcalf, though, this chemistry was launched months ago. In March, while Rodgers contemplated his future, Metcalf flew to Los Angeles and worked out with the quarterback at UCLA. It added fuel to the speculation that Rodgers would ultimately sign with the Steelers…and laid a foundation for the current prospects. 'We talked about a lot of football stuff,' Rodgers said. 'We FaceTime, we texted during the offseason after minicamp. So, we've got a good relationship. It's going to just keep on growing.' Metcalf: 'I'm going to try to soak up as much knowledge as I can. I'm going to listen to everything. Even the criticisms he has; I'm going to be really open, searching for those answers from him. He's had great receivers in the past. I'm just trying to be among them.' There is no denying that the bond that Metcalf and Rodgers develop as a go-to connection will be essential to the best-case scenario for the Steelers offense. Yet it's also evident that Rodgers, a newcomer assuming the ultimate leadership position for an established team, has made it a priority to quickly try developing bonds throughout the team. Will Howard, the rookie quarterback, said that he's been struck by Rodgers' tendency to mingle with a wide range of players at every position. That might address one of the questions floated about Rodgers as he went through the process of committing to play this season. Some wondered whether the time he did not spend with the team during the offseason would be a hindrance. Since signing just before the team's mandatory minicamp in June, though, Rodgers has tried to make up for lost time. In the window before training camp, he hosted skill-positioned players for workouts in Malibu, Calif., where he has a home. Steelers' star pass rusher T.J. Watt got his megadeal. Now comes the hard part Also, on the day he signed his one-year contract in June, Rodgers attended a cookout at Tomlin's house and spent several hours mingling with members of the coaching staff. The next day, he went to a cookout that veteran defensive end Cam Heyward hosted at his house for players. And the day after that, Rodgers showed up at Heyward's charity golf tournament. The effort to mesh with his new team was surely noticed. 'I know it wasn't on everybody's time frame for when things were supposed to happen, but I can only speak to the man I met,' Heyward told USA TODAY Sports. 'When a guy comes to my golf outing or comes to my house and interacts with my family, with me and my teammates, that's all I can ask for. I think that's a good start.' How it ends remains to be seen for a team hoping to become a legitimate contender. Yet Rodgers seems to be all-in for the bonding – and his new suitemate can vouch for that. Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@ or follow on social media: On X: @JarrettBell On Bluesky: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf are Steelers training camp suitemates
