Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford talks working by way of again harm and returning to follow

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The volatility of a again harm might be irritating, and nobody felt that greater than Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford whereas he was sidelined.

“It’s challenging,” Stafford mentioned, chatting with the media for the primary time Thursday because the begin of coaching camp. “All I want to do is practice and play and get out there and be with the guys, and I wasn’t able to do that.”

Those emotions have steadily gone away over the course of this week as he returned to follow for the primary time Monday and was a full participant your complete week. Stafford mentioned he felt “a whole lot more like myself out there” right now, and that “nothing’s feeling uncomfortable” as he navigates the pocket in opposition to a Los Angeles go rush that creates loads of alternatives for him to maneuver inside it.

Stafford declined to get into specifics about his again harm, and reiterated a day-to-day method when requested if he expects to be prepared for Week 1 agains the Texans.

He mentioned he started experiencing again discomfort whereas coaching this summer season. He additionally mentioned there wasn’t one explicit second when it popped up.

“Just something that crept up on me a little bit,” Stafford mentioned.

Stafford mentioned he has accomplished “everything under the sun” when it comes to attempting to get again, crediting the efforts’ of the Rams’ medical and coaching staffs to assist him, together with “a ton of research.”

Monday marked his first time practising, and he mentioned he was capable of do “a little bit more” than he thought – which is smart contemplating the unique plan after he performed a exercise on the crew’s facility on Aug. 9 was to have him solely do particular person drills in follow the next Monday.

“I think the first day, I wasn’t expecting to do as much as I did, and I felt pretty good, so I just kind of kept going,” Stafford mentioned. “And coach was cool enough to let me kind of push myself. And he knows that I know myself and how I feel, and so he let me kind of go. And it felt like I hadn’t been out there in a while. Physically fine, but just seeing the defense operate and doing all this stuff, and it’s my third day, call it in a row, whatever that is, our third practice day of a four-day block, and definitely felt a whole lot more like myself out there today, and just want to continue to do everything I possibly can to be ready for the guys in the locker room.”

Head coach Sean McVay mentioned Stafford has been a full participant in follow this week, and “activated all parts of the field” when it comes to the throws he is been capable of make the final couple of days.

“I’ve seen a guy that’s gotten better and better,” McVay mentioned. “He looks like the stud that we know. I think the first day was kind of getting comfortable, just getting his feet wet a little bit. And then I think each of the last couple days, he’s played really fast. He’s activated all parts of the field. Like I mentioned to you guys the other day, thought our rush on defense did a great job, and you could feel that pocket collapse. And he’s getting through progressions quickly, so he looked outstanding today.”

As troublesome because it was for Stafford to look at from the sidelines for a number of weeks, he loved seeing the prolonged alternatives it afforded to fellow Rams quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett all through camp and the preseason.

Still, it means rather a lot to him to be on the market together with his teammates figuring out how a lot they rely on him. This week marked a constructive step in that route because the common season nears.

“I’ve played a bunch of games in this league. I still love playing, and all I want to do is be out there in practice and play with these guys,” Stafford mentioned. “So it’s been fun the last couple days to get going.”