Influence goes a long way in the NFL. From Aaron Rodgers making the Steelers wait for months for a decision that still hasn’t come, to Jimmy Haslam and Jerry Jones’ pushing to add players they like to their rosters. There’s also Michael Strahan’s brand pushing Travis Hunter to the forefront of publicity with everything they’ve got, and Maxx Crosby bringing in bucket loads of player interest at Eastern Michigan ever since he decided to mentor the players there. Now, we can add another name to the list. Los Angeles Rams QB, Matthew Stafford.
Matthew Stafford isn’t just singing parody songs and playing with his kids on his off time, he’s actively out there, helping to carve out the future of his team. That’s everything you want in a QB apart from the mad skills on the field, right? So, it comes as a no-brainer for a lot of people when we find out that Stafford had a major role in the signing of the Rams’ new WR, Davante Adams.
In a recent edition of the Pat McAfee Show, Rams GM Les Snead was asked if Matthew Stafford had anything to do with the Adams’ signing. McAfee asked, “Puka Nacua gives up his 17 for Davante. Did Stafford have anything to do with that in Davante? Or what was that process like bringing him in for your squad this year?”
According to Snead, “Yeah, Sean always, let’s call it, collaborates with Matthew on some of the skill and he was definitely all for it. So interesting, I think Puka was gonna give up 17 for 12 before Davante got in the build. – he was already in the process of going to 12 based on a family history of that number, so it’s perfect, right? Oh Man, we got Jersey 17 open, what NFL player can we sign who wears 17? Holy cow, let’s go Davante Adams.”
“Sean McVay always collaborates with Matthew Stafford..
He was definitely all for adding Davante Adams”
Les Snead #PMSLive #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/l5krgGeYvi
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 29, 2025
Snead further added, “it’s not always as complex as you think.” They also discussed how WR Puka Nacua is making the switch to jersey no. 12 to honor his family members who have all worn the no. 12, and Davante Adams will don the no. 17 in his place. Matthew Stafford obviously liked the veteran WR’s talent and must have pointed it out to the Rams HC Sean McVay. The two even called and texted Adams to see if he’d be onboard.
After Adams’ signing, Stafford had said, “I have a ton of respect for him – He’s been a big time in this league for a long time, So happy to have him” But was it all just as simple as that? We also know just how aggressively McVay had pursued Adams, and that might just be the main reason he joined the Rams.
Sean McVay’s pursuit of Davante Adams
After being released by the Jets, the WR was vacationing in Japan, and that’s when he got the calls and texts from Stafford and McVay. Way back in 2019, after suffering a defeat at the hand of Packers (Adams was with the Packers at the time), McVay had reached out to Adams and told him that Adams “gave him the blues in that game”.
As Adams himself had once said, “I think it’s important for the players to talk about things as realistically as possible,” McVay’s openness clearly resonated with Adams. And what was more, when Adams became a free agent this March, among the other teams that were interested in him, McVay seemed the most “aggressive” about getting Adams on his team.
Credit: @taeadams Instagram
When Sean reached out to the veteran, he sent Adams clips breaking down his gameplay and Adams even jokingly said, “I was talking to him more than I was talking to my wife.” McVay’s passion for the game resonated with Adams, and after discussing it with a few other players (Stafford included), Adams decided to make the switch.
“You know how he is with [foot]ball so he’s breaking down every single clip. The first one was like seven minutes and then he sent another one that was probably another two minutes where he’s just going through everything and talking about it. – It just shows how much ball means to him and how much of a priority I was for him.” With a lot of enthusiasm from the coach, and a little nudge from QB Stafford as well, the Rams finally signed Davante Adams.
Adams joins the WR lineup that sort of circulates around Puka Nacua’s explosive skills. But together, they are bound to flip the scenes on the Rams’ chances at a Super Bowl, and maybe even break some records along the way? We are eager to see how this new venture pans out in the already sparkling career of Davante Adams.
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