Getty Matthew Stafford fired up during Detroit's Thanksgiving game in 2020.
The Detroit Lions have only officially been in the market for a new coach for a few weeks, but already, some themes with regards to their search are beginning to emerge.
One of the biggest is what happens to Matthew Stafford in a new regime. It’s more than possible someone could start over and hit the reset button on the franchise, but others still see a very talented quarterback in Stafford and think with a little bit of help, he could still blossom into one of the great players of his generation.
According to Steve Young, Stafford is a great player who doesn’t get nearly enough credit considering he plays in Detroit, a team in a constant state of flux and disorder. Young, who won three Super Bowls, recently joined KNBR’s Tolbert, Krueger and Brooks podcast and explained why he gives Stafford so much credit.
Young said:
“Matthew Stafford is a tremendous football player. Matthew Stafford with some help is one of the greats of this generation. He really is. But he’s just done miracles in my mind. You can say who’s the MVP who’s dragging around the most? Matthew Stafford. Matthew Stafford is in Detroit, and is dragging around what is, (with) Cincinnati, one of the two toughest places to have success. He’s been really good. I could imagine how good he’d really be if he had some help.”
Detroit needs to find a way to help Stafford in the front office and at coach. Some of the weapons are there, but consistency is needed from a decision making standpoint for the team to move forward. To that end, Young is correct in his assessment that Stafford could be the most talented player dealing with the most dysfunction around him through the years which has held him back.
Lions Might Have to Target Offensive Coaches
With the Lions still committed to Stafford right now, the question will become how much his future could dictate what happens with the coaching process. Detroit is coming off Matt Patricia, who was a defensive boss. This time around, they might have to look at the offensive side of the ball for help in order to either help Stafford take the next step or make the right decision about what comes next. That means coaches like Eric Bieniemy, Arthur Smith or perhaps even Brian Daboll could make sense for the Lions on the market.
If Detroit elects to go with another defensive boss such as Robert Saleh, that coach will have to have a strong offensive coordinator hire in order to make the best decisions for the team. That’s something that Young would no doubt agree with.
Matthew Stafford’s Lions’ Future in Flux
The future of Stafford will become a big talking point for the Lions given the sea change within the front office or at head coach in the months ahead. The past regime, led by Bob Quinn, has remained loyal to Stafford but it’s always possible that a major shakeup could leave his future open to interpretation. That’s especially true given the fact that ownership has essentially deferred the decision to the new staff once they come to town.
Thus far in 2020, Stafford isn’t having the type of season that will wow many folks. He’s thrown 21 touchdowns and 9 interceptions with 3,278 passing yards. Arguably, he is coming off his best game of the year in Chicago, which could point to comfort in Darrell Bevell’s offense and comfort with a more offensive minded head coach.
The Stafford decision will loom large over the next front office, but if Young is to be believed, the Lions already have a great player if only he can get some help around him.
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