For 12 seasons, Matthew Stafford was the starting quarterback of the Detroit Lions but when the 2021 season starts, he will be in a different uniform as he has been traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
Stafford will formally be introduced as a member of the Rams on Friday afternoon but prior to that, he did his first interview since officially being traded.
During the interview with Rams play-by-play man J.B. Long, Stafford said he is happy to be part of a team that is a proven winner.
“They were, definitely, a team that I was really interested in,” Stafford said, referencing when he went to the Lions to request a trade. “Obviously, past success — it’s a team that’s been extremely successful. Something I was looking for was the ability to step into a team that showed the ability to win and win right now. There’s a ton of great players here, a great coaching staff, an atmosphere of winning and something I’m excited to be a part of now.”
Stafford added that he is excited about trying to lead the Rams to the Super Bowl, which would be played in their home stadium.
“I’m excited about it. It’s something that I’ll take a bunch of pride in, making sure I come to work every single day doing everything I can to help this team win — something I’ve done for a long time and it hasn’t panned out,” Stafford said. “So I’m excited to be a part of a team that’s a proven winner and hopefully I can raise my level of play and raise those guys’ around me level of play a little bit more and we can get the thing done.
“Because in the end, that’s what you play this game for. You play this game for team success and that’s all I want to do, is help bring that to this city and this team.”
Since these comments were made, many Lions fans have said that Stafford was taking a shot at his former team.
Knowing Stafford and what he is all about, that is not what he was doing at all. It was not a shot at the Lions, it was a compliment to his new organization.
Do you agree or was Stafford actually taking a shot at the Lions franchise?
He was teuthful!.. Facts are facts…Lions have been very miserable for a lot of years…Maybe this year will tell a story of who is most responsible for Lions losing..Goff led the Rams to the Superbowl, and also a playoff win last year..something Stafford hasn’t experienced..If he gets the Rams to the superbowl..he would have to win it, to prove he is better than Goff.
He the reason we were so bad couldn’t get over the hump getting hurt at wrong time and not very accurate with his long ball mark my words rams not going anywhere lions will do beater this year with a proven winner in goff
Stafford is a world class character and would not take shots at anyone. He is a drama free just all around great person and for any Lions fan (which I have been for 38 years) to think he is taking shots is ignorant. The Lions have taking enough shots at themselves over the years however trading Stafford is the first right thing they have done for the player and the team.
No shots were fired at the Lions. He was basically saying the Rams are an established team that, with his help, can hopefully win the Lombardi trophy. Stafford has been part of rebuilds his entire career. At his stage of his career, he just wanted some stability. At least that’s what I got out of it.