Matthew Stafford is known for a lot of things: a Super Bowl champion, ranking among the NFL’s all-time leaders with over 62,000 passing yards, and a resume filled with clutch drives. His game-winning march in 2021’s Super Bowl, in particular, is considered by many to be among the greatest drives in the sport. But did you know he also has an ability to “walk on water,” as Puka Nacua recently joked?
Advertisement
There’s another thing almost nobody talks about: Stafford’s absurdly overdeveloped calf muscles. This week, that feature became the centerpiece of an unexpectedly hilarious segment on The Pat McAfee Show.
With Nacua as a guest, McAfee kicked off the conversation by praising the Rams QB’s rejuvenated facial look.“Tell me about Stafford a little bit. His beard looks phenomenal… he looks younger than ever,” McAfee said, before suddenly shifting to the angle that captivated him:
“Someone actually pointed out yesterday: this guy’s got massive calves. I don’t think anybody’s talked about the size of Matthew Stafford’s calves until yesterday.”
Then, weirdly, with the enthusiasm of a scout discovering a hidden gem, McAfee went on to describe the QB’s calves in a gloriously unnecessary detail: “He was photographed with these things exposed. And there’s vascularity down there. Ain’t [just] great girth. We’re talking girth and vascularity on those calves, Puka.”
Nacua, who has been playing alongside Stafford for three years now, couldn’t help but laugh while hearing the narration. Because he actually related to it.
“That’s why the keeper game works so well. Like he’s got freaking quads on his freaking calves. Look at those things, right? I’m like, ‘If I had those things, I could run and put my foot in the ground instantly. Twenty-yard dig routes,’” the Rams WR said.
Was it carrying the Lions for 12 long years that helped Stafford develop these calf muscles? We may never know, but what we definitely know is the fact that Stafford has been in incredible form this season.
“Tell me about Stafford, though. He’s spinning it. Is he getting even better other than just his calves?” McAfee asked. In reply, Nacua offered an insight into his QB’s game IQ and composure, that’s helped him excel on the field this season.
“Oh my gosh. The calmness… his ability just to have the precedence to move his arm angles and to understand where the defense is [amazing],” Nacua said.
Nacua then went on to explain their in-house mantra, “Don’t look at my eyes, don’t look at my eyes,” describing how Stafford manipulates defenders all week in practice, only to look even sharper on Sundays. “It’s even better than what we see on Thursday,” Nacua added.
To be fair, the 24-year-old wideout isn’t exaggerating about Stafford’s greatness this season. The Rams veteran has led his team to 8-2, has thrown 27 touchdowns, hasn’t thrown a pick since Week 3, and continues to deliver MVP-level plays under Sean McVay’s offense.
If anything, Puka’s comments, both about the calf and the quarterback admiration, simply reinforce the truth that Stafford has been having the year so far
