According to reports, Matthew Stafford has requested to be traded from the Detroit Lions and the Lions are going to do what they can to make that happen, as long as they get “fair market value” in return.
Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire is also reporting that Stafford made it clear that he was not willing to stick around to groom his replacement.
“He made it clear he was not on board with grooming a replacement for a year or two,” Risdon said on Facebook. “Not even a little.”
Nation, where do you think Stafford will play in 2021?
Listen!! Please!!! This article is the 1st I’ve ever encountered that even remotely paints Stafford in anything close to a negative light. It is a fair point to make (Stafford’s unwillingness to want to stay around to mentor someone). Although, shelf life in the NFL is so short that it is difficult to find blame Stafford for wanting to move on immediately to a winning franchise. HOWEVER: Please allow me to make a point. I have to be amongst the most devoted Lions fans in the world. I KNOW what Dan O and Terry Bradshaw know. That Stafford is an ELITE QB. And here is my point: I am 43. I grew up in metro Detroit so have seen it all, starting with the ‘84 Tigers, through to watching the best RB in history retire prematurely from the Lions, up till now, this day. And what is happening today is that Stafford wants out. And as such, I believe it is already decided that the Lions will comply. I now live in Indianapolis (since 8/19). Indy is NOT where Stafford wants to find hisself. I hope to God that there is some way of scouting a city in terms of their opinion of you before you sign with them. Because around here, on the radio, day after day after day is an ongoing discussion of Rivers retirement and who the Colts should sign. And NOBODY around here seems to have a clue what an elite QB Stafford is. They talk about him like, gee, who’s out there…Cam Newton, Stafford…and it makes me absolutely sick to my stomach because if Stafford ends up becoming the Colts QB, I think it’s fairly safe to assume that they will win some playoff games immediately. And at first that’s what I wanted for MS. But hearing how they have no clue, absolutely no clue, as to how awesome of a QB he is, they simply would be gaining too much for what little they deserve. They speak in terms of wondering if MS can outperform Rivers (2020 Rivers). A man who used to be great, but literally cannot throw an NFL sized football more than 40-45 yards today. Please Matthew, go somewhere where they have some kind of clue as to the caliber of player you are. When the Packers beat the Colts earlier this year, it was all over the news and radio that Frank Reich was a horrible coach and that Johnathan Taylor was never going to make it in this league. And that was not the dissenting opinion. That was accepted. And anyone with a heart for the game could see that Reich is a great coach and Taylor a stud. I am trying to warn you Matthew, you will not find Indianapolis to your liking, at all. Please, please accept that truth. Please go to Pittsburg or New England or San Fran, where the football acumen is obvious. They don’t deserve you here and you will never achieve your dreams here. In fact, if the Colts are the only option, stay in D-town.