Matt Stafford Likes Seeing QBs Thrive With New Teams

After a 12-year career in Detroit, Mathew Stafford is ready to make his mark with the Los Angeles Rams. New coaches, a fresh system, and an overhaul of receivers all apparently have Stafford excited about his new team. He spoke with Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times about how other quarterbacks have inspired him to envision success outside of Detroit.

Matthew Stafford: I’m very excited about playing for the Rams. https://t.co/2NLTPiiPxc

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 19, 2021

“Different scenario, but even Tom Brady last year, going to a new team and a different coach and a new way of doing things, and having success. That’s something that makes you feel good after you make a decision to move on. I asked to move to another team, and then you look around and see there’s other people who have done it and have been successful. I’m going to have to work my tail off to make sure I’m ready to go, and catch up to the speed of everybody else who’s been in this offense for four or five years. It’s a lot of work for me, but at the same time it’s exciting, knowing I’m getting the opportunity to do some things I’ve always wanted to do.”

We would be excited to leave the Detroit Lions too. Outside of his injury-plagued seasons, Stafford has been a star, at least statistically. He even piled up a 5,000 yard season back in 2011, all so his defense couldn’t tackle Clay Travis in the open field. They have been dismal.

He made an interesting point, though

He brought up that he’s wanted to win for quite some time. How can you blame the guy? At the rip age of 33, with probably 10 years left the way modern medicine works, Stafford can completely change his legacy. Rather than being a gunslinging, Philip Rivers-type, he can potentially win a Super Bowl and be Kurt Warner. This fresh start in L.A. has massive potential.

The decision to move on from Detroit is still a risky one though. Both Stafford and the football world will finally get a chance to see who he really is under pressure. The most pressure Stafford ever saw in Detroit was during his annual meaningless Thanksgiving shootout. Absolute snooze fests, yet Stafford still often played well.

Eventually, he got sick of it. So here we are, the big stage of Los Angeles, where he can sink or swim. Let’s do this.