Matthew Stafford Reveals Why He Didn't Play for Texas Longhorns

Despite growing up in the Lone Star State, star quarterback Matthew Stafford ended up spurning the Texas Longhorns.

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

For how many great quarterbacks the Texas Longhorns have had throughout their history, they've had far more slip through their grasp, including some who grew up in their own backyard.

Matthew Stafford, who is still an NFL star and won Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams, may not have been born in Texas, but he spent much of his childhood in the Lone Star State. However, he spurned the Longhorns and instead joined the Georgia Bulldogs, enjoying a strong three-year career in the Peach State from 2006-08.

During a recent appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, Stafford shed light on why he chose not to join the Longhorns almost 20 years ago.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"I was never in love with University of Texas football," Stafford said. "I know all my buddies wanted me to go there. You know what didn't help? Because I went to Texas, I sat down with Greg Davis, who's the offensive coordinator. He pulls up tape of the game the year before. It's Vince Young versus Oklahoma State. ... He goes, well, when Vince is quarterback, we just say, beater box and run.

"And I'm like, yeah, right. Well, I ain't f***ing running. I was like, show me some Major Applewhite tape. That's what I need. You know, like, find me here, and he just showed me Vince stuff, and I'm like, I'm not going to hurdle the middle linebacker and do this s***, so can you just, like, find me here? And it just—it didn't fit. But, yeah, that was my story in Texas. I was like, I don't know. I don't know what to tell you. That's not my skill set."

Stafford has never been a particularly mobile quarterback like Young was, so it's understandable why that pitch might've turned him away. He was a much better fit in Mark Richt's pro-style offense, and was able to play his way to being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, so it all worked out for him.

On the Longhorns' end, they ended up doing alright for themselves too. Colt McCoy took over the starting job in 2006, and he's still the program's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns by a significant margin. He also took Texas to the national championship game in 2009, and could've won it had he not suffered an injury in that game.

While it would've been interesting to see Stafford in a Longhorns uniform, it was probably in both side's best interest that he went elsewhere.

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