After Matthew Stafford switched to the Los Angeles Rams last month, a report came out that he told the Detroit Lions that the only team he didn’t want to join was the New England Patriots.
He addressed this report in an interview with Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press, published on Sunday. His version of his banning list tells a slightly different story.
Stafford refused to answer directly if he made a specific request to avoid the Patriots. But he clarified that he asked to be negotiated with a team built to fight for a championship – and that there were several teams that were not on his list.
“What is needed is – and this is an incredible thing, [the Lions] – I asked to go to a team that was ready to win a championship, “said Stafford.” And, you know, there were a few teams on that list. Some teams were not on that list. And they respected that and understood it completely. I had thoughts and reasons for each of them. “
Report: Stafford wanted to go “anywhere but New England”
Although Stafford avoided addressing the Patriots report directly, his response is not in line with what Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston reported on January 31.
“Stafford told Lions that they could send him anywhere but New England, “wrote Curran.” This comes from a source whose team was heavily involved in Stafford’s trade negotiations, but failed to win him over. “
Did Stafford want to avoid Matt Patricia?
Curran’s report credited the belief that Stafford wanted nothing to do with the recently fired Lions coach, Matt Patricia, a disciple of Bill Belichick who returned to the Patriots team after his departure from Detroit. The Lions went 13-29-1 under Patricia, who allegedly clashed with the players. Former Lions players openly rejoiced when the franchise fired Patricia in November.
The fact that Stafford wanted at all costs to avoid returning to Patricia’s orbit is entirely plausible. But Stafford is an NFL quarterback. And NFL quarterbacks are notoriously reluctant to enter any territory that could be considered controversial. His comments on Patricia to Albom were fully diplomatic.
“He and I had a good relationship, no matter what anyone wants to say,” Stafford said of Patricia. “I could go into his office and talk to him, he could call me whenever he needed to. I think we both grew up in that relationship. I have a lot of respect for him and who he is, as a football coach and an unbelievable mind. “
So Stafford is not here to burn bridges openly. But if he wanted to deny that he expressed a specific desire for Lions to avoid the Patriots in exchange, he could have done so with Albom. And he didn’t.
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