Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has cleared concussion protocol but will sit out Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, coach Sean McVay said on Friday.
It will be the second consecutive game and third this season that Stafford misses.
John Wolford will start at quarterback against Seattle and Bryce Perkins will be the backup.
McVay said Stafford cleared the protocol on Friday, but the team is still looking for further information about the neck injury Stafford sustained in Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints.
Stafford, 34, played against the Saints after clearing protocol from a previous concussion.
McVay indicated it is possible Los Angeles will shut Stafford down for the remainder of the season.
“I think there’s so many layers to (that decision),” McVay said. “There’s so much thought and dialogue that goes into it, but I think first and foremost it’s got to get cleared from the medical experts. … I’m not the expert in that arena, but if there’s any sort of sense of, this is something that it’ll be better served in the long term or it’s going to be a few more weeks, things like that, I think that’ll end up kind of taking care of itself.”
Due to Stafford’s high competitive level, McVay said the Rams may have to protect last season’s Super Bowl winning quarterback from himself.
“If there’s any inkling that he can play, this guy’s going to want to play,” McVay said. “Now (there is a) possibility that we say, ‘based on what we’re gathering, the doctors, those types of things, the smart thing is to not play you.’ And he could be upset with me, but I think he knows that I have his best interest and we have his best interest. And if that’s the case, then that’s definitely a possibility.
“But he’s going to want to play. He’s going to want to do everything in his power to be out there and compete with his teammates and do the things that’s made Matthew Stafford, Matthew Stafford.”
Stafford has passed for 2,087 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.
Wolford missed last weekend’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a neck injury. Perkins made the start and completed 13 of 23 passes for 100 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Wolford started in Week 10 during a 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals and completed 24 of 36 passes for 212 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The Rams (3-8), who have lost five straight games, will also be without star defensive tackle Aaron Donald (ankle). It marks the first time Donald will miss a game due to injury in his nine-year career.
–Field Level Media
