Quarterback Matthew Stafford has racked up accolades since joining the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. His latest achievement might be his biggest yet.
The Super Bowl 61 champion and reigning NFL MVP can finally add "Taylor Swift music video actor" to his résumé.
Stafford appears in the music video for "Patient Zero," a new single from Swift that debuted on Friday, Sept. 25 with "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore." The Rams' quarterback appears several times in the video: shaking hands with its male lead, Colin Farrell; appearing next to Farrell on a stage; and dancing in the background with his wife, Kelly Stafford.
Stafford and his wife's cameo appearances were a surprise when the video debuted
at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Sunday, Sept. 27.
Swift, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter married to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, first teased a video for the song on "CBS Mornings" on Thursday, Sept. 24. In the original, 10-second teaser, Farrell and actress Dakota Johnson were revealed as the main stars of the video.
Stafford's music video debut was revealed at the same time as he and the Rams faced off against the Denver Broncos on "Sunday Night Football." Los Angeles' starting quarterback finished the game 30-for-55 passing, with 390 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the 30-26 loss.
Matthew Stafford not the first Los Angeles QB to make music video debut in 2026
Stafford's music video debut was surprising, but it wasn't the first by a starting quarterback for a Los Angeles-based NFL franchise this year.
The Rams' signal-caller is the second to the party behind Los Angeles Chargers starter Justin Herbert. On May 7, 2026, Herbert appeared in the music video for the song "lovergirl" by Madison Beer, his then-girlfriend and now-fiancée.
Perhaps both quarterbacks should have been more focused on football and less focused on music videos this offseason. Stafford and the Rams are 1-2 after their "Sunday Night Football" loss to the Broncos in Week 3. Hebert and the Chargers are 0-3 – their worst start since Herbert took over as starter in 2020 – after losing to the Bills on Sept. 27.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL player makes unexpected cameo in Taylor Swift music video
