Until further notice, the Los Angeles Rams might be the biggest threat to the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl aspirations. They're the strongest divisional rival, and they were an extremely tough matchup last season.
That's why watching them drop the ball multiple times in the 2026 NFL Draft was such a sweet relief. Notably, that goes way beyond all the laughter and mockery spanning from their decision to take Ty Simpson at No. 13.
Not only was that an objectively bad pick, given that they could've had him later, and he probably won't play for one or two years. According to a report by Mike Sando of The Athletic, the notion that Sean McVay had nothing to do with that decision is false, so it wouldn't be shocking to see this as a breaking point in his relationship with Matthew Stafford.
The Seattle Seahawks may not have to worry about Matthew Stafford for much longer
“Sean runs the show there,” one executive told Sando. “He is just using the GM to save face and look good for Matthew. But Matthew has already had doubts about playing. It’s not a stretch that you would draft somebody.”
Simpson himself admitted that he was instructed not to disclose meeting McVay before the NFL Draft. Also, given his close ties to general manager Les Snead, it was always tough to believe he wasn't kept in the loop about their plans to take him in the first round.
McVay has said all the right things about this pick. The first thing he did was reaffirm that the Rams were still Matthew Stafford's team despite Simpson's arrival, adding that he would only compete with Stetson Bennett for the backup quarterback spot. Still, this might have rubbed Stafford the wrong way.
Not having to worry about Stafford would be huge for Mike Macdonald's team. Last season alone, he torched them for 961 passing yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 110.8, per StatMuse. He's 7-6 against the Seahawks in his career (including playoffs).
The Rams have always been pragmatic. They already allowed Stafford to test the market, and while they still gave him a contract extension, they pretty much let him know that there will be life after him. That might make him feel expendable.
Granted, Stafford has to be aware that he's inching closer to the end of his career, but superstars have egos. McVay might try to paint a picture to the outside world, but the doubt might still linger.
Is he still his guy? Does he still have it? Will they pull the plug on him if Simpson shows promise and he struggles or gets hurt? Those are questions that must've gone through Stafford's mind at some point in the past week or so.
And once a player starts second-guessing himself or -- even worse -- his relationship with his coach, it's pretty much over. It might not happen overnight, but there could be a QB crisis brewing in Los Angeles, and the Seahawks will definitely love it.
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