Matthew Stafford Is the Real Winner of the Rams-Lions Trade
Matthew Stafford’s MVP season with the Los Angeles Rams has reshaped his legacy and strengthened his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While the 2021 trade between the Rams and Detroit Lions was initially viewed as a win for Los Angeles, Stafford’s individual success has now made him the biggest beneficiary of the deal.
Stafford’s Career Was Stalled in Detroit
Throughout NFL history, elite players have often seen their careers limited by poor team situations. Calvin Johnson became a Hall of Famer, but lacked postseason success. Steven Jackson was one of the best running backs of his era but never played on a consistent contender. Tony Gonzalez won only one playoff game in a 17-year career.
Matthew Stafford appeared headed down the same path.
During his 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Stafford made just one Pro Bowl. This came despite throwing for more than 4,900 yards and 61 combined touchdowns in 2011 and 2012. In three playoff appearances, he failed to win a single game and never received an MVP vote.
Stafford’s situation in Detroit was far from ideal. He played in only 11 games in which a teammate rushed for at least 100 yards. Only twice did he have a top-15 defense. Including interim leadership, Stafford played under four different head coaches: Jim Schwartz, Jim Caldwell, Matt Patricia, and Darrell Bevell.
The narrative surrounding Stafford was simple: “If only he were on a good team.”
Rams Trade Unlocks Stafford’s Potential
When the Los Angeles Rams traded for Stafford in 2021, the goal was clear — find a quarterback capable of taking an already talented roster to a championship level.
That vision became reality immediately.
Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in his first season. He quarterbacked one of the greatest wide receiver seasons in NFL history as Cooper Kupp captured the triple crown. Sean McVay built an offense tailored to Stafford’s strengths, producing one of the league’s most efficient and explosive attacks.
After years of being labeled as a quarterback who “couldn’t win the big one,” Stafford silenced critics by leading three fourth-quarter comebacks during the Rams’ Super Bowl run.
At the time, it appeared the Rams had clearly won the Stafford trade.
MVP Season Changes the Narrative
On Thursday night, Stafford reached an even higher level of validation by winning the AP NFL MVP Award after throwing for 4,700 yards and 46 touchdowns.
Before this season, questions still existed about Stafford’s Hall of Fame chances. Now, those doubts are fading quickly.
Stafford joins an exclusive group of quarterbacks who have won both a Super Bowl and an MVP award. Of the previous 10 quarterbacks to accomplish that feat, nine are in the Hall of Fame. The only exception is Joe Theismann, whose peak was relatively brief.
Stafford Separates Himself From His Peers
Quarterbacks such as Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning, and Russell Wilson will all be evaluated for Hall of Fame induction in the coming years. However, not all of them will get in.
Roethlisberger and Rodgers are virtual locks. That leaves players like Rivers, Ryan, and Wilson fighting for limited spots.
Before joining the Rams, Stafford’s résumé was closer to Rivers and Ryan than to Rodgers or Roethlisberger. He was viewed as a fringe Hall of Fame candidate.
Now, that has changed.
Stafford owns:
A Super Bowl title
An MVP award
More playoff wins than Matt Ryan
More playoff wins than Philip Rivers
The same number of playoff appearances as Rivers
With just two more playoff wins, Stafford would match Drew Brees and Russell Wilson and surpass Eli Manning.
Matthew Stafford Wins the Trade
The Rams won the trade in 2021 by capturing a Super Bowl. However, with his MVP season, Matthew Stafford has become the real winner of the Rams-Lions trade.
Had Stafford remained in Detroit, it is highly unlikely he ever would have received MVP recognition. His move to Los Angeles provided the stable environment, coaching, and roster support necessary for his talent to fully shine.
With both a Super Bowl and an MVP now on his résumé, Stafford has all but secured his place in Canton. In just five seasons with the Rams, he erased doubts about what he could accomplish in a winning situation.
Final Verdict
The Rams won a championship.
The Lions rebuilt their roster.
But Matthew Stafford won the trade.
His legacy has been transformed from a talented quarterback trapped on bad teams into a Super Bowl champion and league MVP — and a likely Hall of Famer.
