The Seattle Seahawks may have gotten more than one win in the first week of the season. While losing Sam Darnold to injury was obviously a huge blow, they still managed to win their opener, all while the overhyped Los Angeles Rams didn't look the part. That is especially true of Matthew Stafford, who was extremely ineffective.
Granted, they didn't handle their travel situation well and whatnot, but even though Week 1 should always be taken with a grain of salt, some of their execution problems can't be attributed to jet lag.
Stafford, the defending MVP, looked like a shell of himself against the San Francisco 49ers. He struggled to place the ball in tight windows, had some rare underthrows, and made mistakes even when not pressured.
The Seattle Seahawks may not have to worry about Matthew Stafford for much longer
He's 38 and has a recent history of injuries, which raises the question: Will he age like Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger? Of course, the Seahawks can only hope for the second option.
While that age isn't particularly old for a quarterback, the age-38 season has been a breaking point for some players. Also, we've seen guys like Russell Wilson or Matt Ryan not even be in the league at that point.
So, will Stafford age like fine wine or like milk left out of the fridge? Let's take a look at some of the most notable quarterbacks' age-38 campaigns:
QB | Team | Season | Pass Yds | TD | INT | RTG | Accolades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Peyton Manning | Denver Broncos | 2014 | 4,727 | 39 | 15 | 101.5 | Pro Bowl |
Tom Brady | New England Patriots | 2015 | 4,770 | 36 (league-leading) | 7 | 102.2 | Pro Bowl |
Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay Packers | 2021 | 4,115 | 37 | 4 | 122.5 (then record) | MVP, 1st team All-Pro, Pro Bowl |
Drew Brees | New Orleans Saints | 2017 | 4,338 | 23 | 8 | 103.9 | Pro Bowl, league-leader in completion pct (72.0) |
Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2020 | 3,803 | 33 | 10 | 94.1 | None |
Philip Rivers | Indianapolis Colts | 2020 | 4,169 | 24 | 11 | 97.0 | None |
Eli Manning | New York Giants | 2019 | 1,042 (4 games) | 6 | 5 | 82.6 | None |
There are clearly two well-defined categories here. There are those who can still ball out at a high level and give Father Time a run for their money, and others who might have a tough time keeping up with all that mileage on their legs.
All of the above are, like Stafford, pocket passers and traditional quarterbacks, so mobility shouldn't be a factor here. So, once again, one can only wonder which version of Stafford Sean McVay will have in his age-38 season.
The first return put him in the Eli Manning category. He looked like a statue in the pocket, completing just 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. It was just a game, but it might be an omen of what's to come.
Stafford is an elite passer and one of the most underrated quarterbacks of his generation. He's already had the Seahawks' number in recent years, including a 374-yard, three-touchdown performance in the 2025 NFC Championship Game.
The Rams are aiming for the Seahawks' crown, and if one of their strongest pieces becomes a liability, it would give Mike Macdonald's team a huge break.
Then again, if he bounces back and goes on to have another MVP-caliber season — there's precedent for that — this team should still be prepared for everything the former No. 1 pick can throw at them, both literally and figuratively.
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