Exclusive: Jared Verse talks Matthew Stafford, Ty Simpson, Super Bowl push

By D.J. Siddiqi

Jared Verse knows how big it is to have Matthew Stafford back under center for the Los Angeles Rams.

The reigning MVP just turned 38 years old but is coming off of the finest season of his career. Stafford -- who led the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2021 -- won his first MVP award after throwing for a league-leading 46 touchdowns and 4,707 passing yards.

Stafford didn't take long to make his decision to return, announcing it during his acceptance speech for the MVP award at NFL Honors in February.

"I had a good feeling that he was going to come back," Verse told Casino.ca in an exclusive interview. "I was praying. Knees on the ground, elbows on the bed. Like a little kid praying, 'Please come back.' And then I found out when everybody else found out through his award-winning speech.”

Verse said Stafford’s return has lit a fire under the defensive line group as the Rams chase a Super Bowl in 2026.

"Kobie (Turner) texted me, Braden Fiske and Byron Young and he was like, 'Hey, he's coming back, we gotta lock it,’” Verse said. “We’ve got to take it to another level now. This is the time.’

"We all just started going harder. Kobie is going harder. Fiske is going harder. B-Young is doing everything he can to get better. I'm doing the exact same. Follow right behind him. We’ve got to do this together."

Verse -- who is a two-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Rookie of the Year -- said Stafford gave no indication what he was planning to do before announcing his return.

"Hell no, he's stoic as hell," Verse said.

Verse: Stafford’s best trait is his work ethic

Stafford is obviously one of the most accomplished and respected quarterbacks in the NFL.

He has led the Rams to the playoffs in four of his five seasons in Los Angeles and ranks sixth in passing yards while ranking seventh in touchdowns on the all-time passing leaderboard.

When asked what is his best trait, Verse said it's Stafford's "hard work."

"The amount of work that he puts in," Verse said. "Everyone works hard, but that's the thing. You can be working hard on the wrong thing. He works hard on the right things, because he's been doing it so long. He knows what's right, he knows what's wrong.

“He knows, 'Oh yeah, this dude does this, this dude does that.' He doesn't just learn your tendencies, he learns your defense, and he's able to break it down mentally before you can do anything."

Verse said even though Stafford's physical traits are amazing, it's his mental that makes him stand out, which is why he and head coach Sean McVay work so well together.

"He thinks way beyond,” Verse said. “That's why I think him and Sean work together so well. He's the smartest coach I've ever had. Stafford's the smartest player I've ever been around."

Stafford is one of the older players in the NFL, but in today's era, quarterbacks are known for playing at an old age, with some reaching their 40s. For example, Aaron Rodgers just completed his 21st season at age 42 while Joe Flacco just re-signed with the Cincinnati Bengals at the age of 41.

The 38-year-old Stafford is coming off of the best season of his career and isn't showing any signs of slowing down, along with a stacked offensive core featuring the likes of Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Kyren Williams. Verse acknowledges that Stafford can play into his 40s if he wants to.

"He can do whatever he wants," Verse said. "That dude is the smartest human being I've ever been around -- or one of the smartest human beings -- when it comes to football and everything."

Verse excited about Ty Simpson selection

The Rams made headlines with their first-round draft selection of former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.

Simpson was considered the second-best quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft and Los Angeles opted to select Simpson to plan for the future once Stafford retires.

The move is notable because the Rams selected him with the No. 13 overall pick instead of opting to select a player that could contribute immediately to a Super Bowl-ready roster that came within one possession of reaching the Super Bowl this past season.

Verse, 25, should be with the Rams for the quarterback transition and thinks Simpson landed in a great spot.

“He's got Sean (McVay) and he's in the perfect situation,” Verse said. “He gets to come in and he gets to learn from Matthew, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, MVP, Super Bowl champion. You can see how he plays and how he attacks the game. I think he's in the perfect position."

Shortly after the conclusion of the draft, Verse said he hadn't been in contact with Simpson yet, but had rave compliments for Simpson, calling him a "dog" who can do a little bit of everything.

"He can run the ball, get through all that good stuff that all these quarterbacks in the league usually can do,” Verse said. “The way he's accurate, the way he's able to have confidence in the throws he makes, the things that he does -- he's confident in his abilities. That's just a credit to the hard work that he puts in.”

Simpson started one season with the Crimson Tide, throwing 28 touchdowns against just five interceptions while leading them to the College Football Playoff.

When asked to make a player comparison for Simpson, Verse said he can't come up with one, but he said he's a "great" quarterback that has his own style.

"He's kind of got his own style,” Verse said. “You can always compare this guy to that guy, but I think he's got his own little style -- the way he moves, the way he does things. I'm not an analyst either, so I wouldn't take my word."