For the Los Angeles Rams to bring home that Super Bowl trophy last season, they had to end the Cinderella story of Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. While things were in doubt for some time, in the end, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kup, and Aaron Donald overcame everything to get the Rams the ultimate victory. It was the first for the team since Kurt Warner, Issac Bruce, and the Greatest Show on Turf.
For Stafford especially, the win was a significant vindication point as many had questioned for years just how good he was while he was with the Detroit Lions. Stafford would put up stats in Detroit, but he captured every little team success.
This is something that bothers Burrow. In an appearance on Colin Cowherd’s Podcast on The Volume, Burrow admitted that he often wants to call into sports talk shows when he feels like they are wrong, especially on quarterbacks such as Stafford and the Vikings’ Kirk Cousins:
“For sure. For sure. And it’s usually not with me, it’s usually with different people across the league. Like I don’t think Matt Stafford gets enough credit, I don’t think Kirk Cousins gets enough credit for how well they’ve played for so long. It’s quarterbacks like that in certain markets that maybe didn’t have the team success or playoff wins, but they were really really good for a long time and have played well and made a lot of money.”
Burrow would continue in his praise of the Rams quarterback, saying that if he had to lose to anyone in the Super Bowl, he’s glad it was someone like Stafford:
“If I was to lose a Super Bowl to somebody, I’m glad it was Matthew Stafford just because of what he has gone through in the league. He was in Detroit, no playoff wins, was really good for a long time, had a lot of good teams but just couldn’t quite get over that hump. And what he did with L.A. last year, I was happy to watch that.”
Stafford threw for over 45,000 yards and 282 touchdowns in 12 years with the Lions. But his record was just 74-90-1 and he made just three playoff appearances, failing to win one game. But after his run to the Super Bowl last season, Stafford showed he has always had what it takes to succeed if given the right talent around him.
Burrow is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, and for him to have the admiration and respect for Stafford shows just how great he is. Perhaps the two will square off for that Lombardi Trophy once more, and it is safe to say Burrow likely wouldn’t be ok with a second loss, even to Stafford.
McVay On Matthew Stafford’s Elbow
Stafford and the Rams’ Week 1 didn’t go the way they had hoped with a convincing loss to the Buffalo Bills. But for Stafford, who was coming off an offseason elbow procedure, the most important thing is how he felt after opening night, and head coach Sean McVay offered an update.
“Yeah, I spoke to him. It felt okay. Many things didn’t go our way yesterday for many different reasons I mentioned to you guys after the game. But he came out of that thing feeling good. He took some shots, but the elbow felt okay.”
