Just a week ago, the were plenty of reports/rumors that the Detroit Lions would eventually trade Matthew Stafford to either the San Francisco 49ers or the Indianapolis Colts.
In fact, from Friday to Saturday, the odds shifted clearly in the direction of the 49ers, making many believe that Stafford would be heading to California. (Note: Some believed that this point that it would be Carolina or Washington who would snag Stafford)
Well, Stafford was traded to California but it was not San Francisco that landed the 12-year veteran, it was the Los Angeles Rams, who swooped in out of nowhere to make the trade.
On Monday, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated posted a great piece on how the trade went down and while doing so, he mentioned Stafford’s top 3 preferred trade destinations.
From Sports Illustrated:
Word was that Stafford’s preferred destinations were, in order, the Rams, Niners and Colts. And while the Lions were always going to do what was best for the Lions (and Stafford didn’t have a no-trade clause to commandeer the process), they were also cognizant of what their former No. 1 pick wanted.
It is no surprise that neither the New England Patriots nor the Carolina Panthers made Stafford’s Top 3 as he reportedly nixed trades to both of those teams.
