Matthew Stafford Opens Up About Lack of Success With Detroit Lions

With the Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford was expected to be a savior of the franchise.

Drafted first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, Stafford had high expectations. And while he had plenty of success, Stafford was ultimately unable to lead the team to a playoff win in three appearances throughout his 12 seasons with the organization.

Appearing on the Green Light podcast this week, the veteran signal-caller explained his journey with the organization and his inability to take the team on a deep playoff run. In particular, he discussed his first playoff appearance with the team when they took on the New Orleans Saints.

"Man, there was a lot going on," Stafford explained. "I was going up against Drew Brees, right? So that was just like, 'Oh man, what do I have to do to try to win this game?' We actually started the game well, had the lead at halftime, and then I think they came and scored like 35 unanswered and blew the doors off us."

Stafford is one of the top quarterbacks in Lions history, as he holds several franchise records from his time manning the position. However, there will always be some disappointment from his career having not won a playoff game.

He threw for 45,109 yards in his 12 seasons with the Lions, and tossed 282 touchdown passes. Both of those marks are the most by a Lions quarterback in a career. He also holds the record for starts by a quarterback with 165.

When the Lions made a coaching change in 2021, Stafford elected to request a trade as the team was set to rebuild again. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff and several draft picks, which is a deal that is seen as a win for both organizations.

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Reflecting on his time in Detroit, he acknowledged some disappointment from the times where the team would get into the playoffs but was unable to advance further. He was ultimately able to achieve winning a Super Bowl in his first year with the Rams.

"It's a lot, right? I think you're always making the dance, man. Making the playoffs, you're so hopeful. You never know," Stafford said. "It's like, 'Oh man, there's a new juice that comes alive.' It's like, 'Man, we're only a few games away from doing what we've always wanted to do.' But at the same time, after we lost that game, I just used it as an experience to learn. Unfortunately, we didn't get back there enough when I was in Detroit. Only two other trips and had a tough loss in Dallas and another one in Seattle."

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