Detroit Lions faced the Los Angeles Rams at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, in the NFL Wild Card Round on 14 January 2024 (Sunday), and Luck played its card for Matthews Stafford. People saw him playing for the Rams and wondered why he left The Lions in 2021.
John Matthew Stafford played for the Georgia Bulldogs football program during his college days. Detroit Lions hired him in 2009, and he served as the primary starter for the team till 2020. He suffered several injuries like any other sportsman.
For instance, Matthew suffered a separated shoulder in November 2009 and a minor knee injury the following month. He injured his right shoulder in the 2010 season and his hand in the fourteenth week of the 2016 season. Thus, his team lost the last three games.
Matthew did not score more than two touchdowns in 2018 under the head coach, Matt Patricia. His upper thoracic spine suffered from non-displaced fractures in the following season. He did not suffer from COVID-19 but was put on the reserve due to the wrong test results.
Before Matthew Stafford Left The Lions
Detroit Lions hired Matt Patricia as a coach in 2018 and Bob Quinn as the General Manager in 2016. However, the team fired them in 2021 because they reportedly did not take The Lions where they were supposed to be.
Matt’s record was 13-29-1, while Bob’s was 31-43-1, though the team considered them terrific. The Lions suffered back-to-back losses to Carolina and Huston. Thus, Bob and Matt’s termination was not an overnight decision.
After that, the team’s offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, became the head coach for some time. On the other hand, the position of General Manager was filled by a group of front-office executives who were answerable to the team president, Rob Wood.
Moreover, after a few months of getting hired, Matt was revealed to be accused of sexual harassment during his college days in 1996. He denied the claim, but it stained his image during his tenure with the Lions.
In January 2021, Brad Holmes became the executive vice president and the General Manager of Detroit Lions, signing a four-year extension. His tenure began before Matthew got traded off the team.
Brad Holmes has performed several executive roles since 2003. Besides that, the St. Louis /Los Angeles Rams hired him as a public relations intern in 2003 and promoted him to director of college scouting after ten years. He retained the position until he joined the Lions.
Dan Campbell was hired as the head coach for the Lions in the same month as Brad, and he made a bold introductory statement. He was a player for eleven years and a coach for fourteen years, which means he has dedicated twenty-five years to the NFL to date.
Dan was an assistant head coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2010 to 2015 and New Orleans Saints from 2016 to 2020. He played for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and Detroit Lions.
Why Did Matthew Stafford Leave The Lions?
Matthew was uncomfortable after witnessing the termination of the two prominent people, the head coach and the general manager, from The Lions. He was afraid that the whole team would undergo a change. Thus, he discussed his concern with the Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp and asked for a trade-off.
Fortunately, the team owner granted Matthew’s request before he could ask it the second time. The Lions owner turned to the Rams, who topped the charts at that time. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Rams owner and head coach Sean McVay caught Jared Goff for the trade-off.
The Los Angeles Rams selected Jared as the first overall in 2016. Before that, he played football for the California Golden Bears during his college days. Jared had only one concern while getting traded for Matthew in 2021. He had signed a four-year extension worth $134 million with the Rams.
However, Seas McVay convinced Jared to get traded for Matthew. The following year, he received the Third Pro Bowl selection. He played against the 49ers in the season opener while debuting for the Lions.
On the other hand, Matthew faced the Chicago Bears during Sunday Night Football while making his Rams debut. He also led his new team to victory in Super Bowl LVI. Thus, his departure from the Lions was a mutual decision.
Detroit Lions defeated Los Angeles Rams on 14 January 2024 and the score was 24-23, leading to the Lions’ first playoff win in thirty-two years. Jared lifted his arm, asking the audience to cheer louder before making his team win.
