Richard Sherman chimes in on Matt Stafford's Hall of Fame resume
Following the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the conversation about quarterback Matthew Stafford changed. After years of middling with great stats and poor results with the Detroit Lions, he added a ring to his resume.
The overarching discussion which came out of that addition focused on his legacy. Is Matthew Stafford a Hall of Famer? NFL cornerback Richard Sherman says no.
“I’m gonna talk about it on the podcast but the Hall of Fame bar is incredibly low now,” Sherman tweeted after the Super Bowl. “Like a participation trophy. No all-decade team. No All-Pro. No MVP. One Pro bowl. Not even MVP of the Super Bowl. Never considered the best in any year he played. At least (Matt) Ryan has an MVP.”
The case against Matthew Stafford lies in his lack of achievements leading up to this season, but the counter-argument places that blame on the Lions organization and not the quarterback. Over 12 seasons in Detroit, Stafford went 74-90-1 with just four winning seasons However, in one season with the Rams, he finished 12-5 before leading them to a Super Bowl.
His stats demonstrate that he ranks among the best passers in the league, despite a lack of receiving depth after the early retirement of teammate Calvin Johnson. In 13 total seasons, he has thrown for 49,995 yards with 323 touchdowns and 161 interceptions.
After averaging 273.4 yards per game with the Lions, he jumped to 287.4 yards per game in 2021. However, he tied the NFL league lead with 17 regular season interceptions.
In the Super Bowl, Stafford finished 26-of-40 with 283 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He lost out on Super Bowl MVP to wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
Richard Sherman on Matthew Stafford
Richard Sherman’s initial tweet sparked controversy and led to a long debate over Matthew Stafford with fans via social media. He continued to make his case in a series of comments throughout the day.
“There is no measuring stick that makes Stafford a Hall of Famer other than playing in the most passer happy decade in NFL history,” Sherman said. “Inflated numbers make ever quarterback that starts 10-plus years a ‘Hall of Famer.’”
He continued by pointing out two players from the Rams roster who he believes have earned their Hall of Fame honors.
“He did nothing spectacular,” Sherman said on Stafford’s performance. “It’s really a macrocosm of his career. Did good. Not great. Made a few wow passes. Made a few face palm passes. Aaron Donald and Von (Miller) are the two Hall of Famers he should thank.”