“Wouldn’t Have Changed Any of the Twelve Years”: Matthew Stafford Reflects on His Tough Times as Detroit Lions QB

Matthew Stafford started his pro football career with the Detroit Lions when he was drafted by them as the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. His on-field prowess is no secret, which started with winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2011. Matthew has come a long way since then, building himself as one of the most decorated QBs in the league. However, he still couldn’t lead his now-former team to the heights he coveted.

Matthew Stafford spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, leading them to the playoffs only three times, and unfortunately, no victories. In an interview on the Pat McAfee Show, the star QB shared his strong desire to win the Super Bowl for his former team, which never came to fruition.

“When I first got to Detroit all I wanted to do was bring that city a Championship..

I wasn’t able to do it and I felt terrible about it..

I wouldn’t have changed any of the twelve years that I had there for anything”

Matthew Stafford #PMSLive #OnePride pic.twitter.com/aZTkLDxGAK

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 10, 2023

The Super Bowl LVI champ has played in the league for over a decade, but his accolades haven’t been very flashy. However, it turned out for the better when he moved to a different franchise to try his luck at winning his first ring. In a blockbuster trade, the Lions traded Stafford to the Rams in 2021, which somehow worked for the 35-year-old quarterback. In his very first season with the Rams, he not only led his team to the playoffs but also won them their second Super Bowl title.

Matthew Stafford Emphasizes on the Significant Life Lessons

The Rams QB shared with McAfee that he spent a long time playing with the Lions, and surprisingly, he wouldn’t change any of those years, even if given the chance. He explained that he learned significant life lessons during that time–about family, himself as a person, and as a player. Though it was challenging, he believes everything has happened for a reason.

“I think the biggest thing for me, when I first got to Detroit, man, all I wanted to do was bring that city a championship,” Stafford said. “I wasn’t able to do it. I felt terrible about that. But I wouldn’t have changed any of the 12 years that I had there for anything.”

While his time with the Lions didn’t turn out to be how he expected, he was thrilled to get a chance with the Los Angeles Rams. He turned it into his first Super Bowl ring. The star QB dreams of winning several more championship games in the future with the team.

Stafford is currently playing his 15th NFL season and his third with the Rams. The quarterback has had a solid career so far, with over 54,152 passing yards and 341 touchdowns. He is also a relatively accurate passer, with a career completion percentage of 63.1%. However, he has also thrown a fair number of interceptions, with 176 in his career. This season, he has thrown for 2,070 yards in eight games. His completion percentage is down a bit from his career average, at 59.7%.