The last year has proven to be a major referendum on Matthew Stafford’s career. After being traded from the Lions to the Rams a year ago, he got over his “big game” hump, outdueling the likes of Kyler Murray, Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Joe Burrow en route to winning Super Bowl LVI.
Now that he’s put the Lions’ struggles behind him, and led the Rams on an incredible late-fourth quarter touchdown drive to win the Super Bowl, the new debate over Stafford is whether he’s a Hall of Famer.
With the Lions, the former No. 1 pick put up gaudy numbers, but failed to win big with the struggling franchise. Now, he has the on-field success to match, but his wife Kelly isn’t here for this online debate just yet.
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On her Instagram stories shared on Tuesday, she addressed the debate, saying people should wait until his career is actually over.
“Can y’all just let him enjoy this?!” Stafford said. “It went from matthew can’t win, to matthew can’t win against winning teams, to matthew can’t win big games, to matthew can’t win playoff games, to matthew can’t win it all...
“And now... the debate on the HOF? We shouldn't be talking about the HOF because he isn’t done playing this game. If you don’t believe he is a HOFer.. I can’t wait for him to prove you wrong in his remaining years... just like he did IN ONE YEAR to everyone who said all the things listed above. So let’s table this talk until he actually retires? Thank you.
At 34 years old, Stafford should have a chance to really bolster that Hall of Fame candidacy, especially if the Rams can stay in Super Bowl candidacy. He was the fastest player to reach 20,000, 35,000, 40,000 and 45,000 career passing yards, and will likely eclipse the 50,000 mark in his first game of the 2022 season.
Currently 12th all-time in passing, Stafford will have a shot to pass John Elway in 2022, and has an outside shot of jumping his former NFC North rival Aaron Rodgers, if Rodgers doesn’t play next season.
Throw in some more highly-successful seasons with Los Angeles, and Stafford may yet have a chance to make it to Canton.
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