The Los Angeles Rams kicked the offseason off with a bang after pulling off a blockbuster trade for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Although the Rams managed to reach the NFL divisional round, it became apparent throughout the 2020 season that the shortcomings under center would prevent them from taking that next step. Meanwhile, Stafford was coming off another disappointing year in Detroit that culminated with the firing of head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn.
In hindsight, the move made plenty of sense for both sides. However, it seems the writing had been on the wall in Detroit even before the start of the 2020 campaign.
While his love for the Lions and the surrounding community is well-documented, Stafford has been at the point of his career where competing for a championship is the top priority. According to Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press, the prospect of being able to play in big games was too much to pass up:
“I’ve always wanted to play in those big games, I feel like I will excel in those situations,” he says. “I wanted to shoot my shot.”
Stafford added that his family had acknowledged the idea that they would likely be moving on of the season did not go as planned:
“To be honest, Kelly and I probably started talking about it before last season. It was one of those things where, you know, we were hoping that, golly, let’s go, I hope this thing takes off and we play great. But if it doesn’t, you just knew what was going to happen. They were going to tear it down and rebuild.
“And anytime you switch GMs and a head coach, you know that they’re going to want to bring their own people in, and that’s going to take time. And I, frankly, didn’t feel like I was the appropriate person to oversee that time.”
Speculation regarding Stafford’s looming departure started after he and his wide put their $6.5 million Bloomfield Township mansion up for sale last spring. Despite their attempts to downplay the headlines, it ultimately came to fruition with the Lions in the midst of another grueling rebuild.
Their departure has been a bittersweet experience for the Stafford’s given the impact they managed to make in Detroit both on and off the field. This led him and his wife Kelly to leave a parting gift of a $1 million donation to help build a new education center with SAY Detroit.
Even though he has yet to win a playoff game in his career, Stafford’s comments indicate that he is fully embracing the expectations that have come with his arrival. It is safe to say that he will get his opportunity given the talent on this Rams’ roster.
