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It’s safe to say that Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been through hell during his elongated tenure with the team, and could the quarterback finally be getting weary as a result?
It’s more than possible that is the case if Dan Orlovsky is to be believed. Recently, speaking with the Pat McAfee Show, Orlovsky was asked about the Lions and how long a potential restructuring of the team would take in the event they switch coaches again. Naturally, as a former player for the team, Orlovsky has a ton of opinions about the Lions and Stafford, given he is good friends with the quarterback. As he said, he isn’t sure that Stafford isn’t getting beaten down a bit by his surroundings and is unclear on what his future may hold.
Orlovsky said:
“Here’s the truth, Matthew’s my boy and I love him like a family member. But it feels like they’ve taken his killer instinct away sometimes when I watch him play right now. Like he used to be this killer, and I don’t know if they’ve kind of peeled that away. He’s just been beat up for so long. I think 12 years now, he’s got to be so sick and tired of losing. What happens if they move on from Matt Patricia, I don’t know if they do that. What happens if the new coach wants a new quarterback? Who’s that quarterback going to be? What do they do with Matthew Stafford? Is it going to take longer to rebuild with a young quarterback? I would say yes. I think there’s a lot of question marks hanging over the Lions organization right now than there were 4 or 5 weeks ago.”
The future of Stafford will become a big talking point for the Lions in the event that the team does decide on a sea change within the front office or at head coach in the months ahead. The current 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 beating they are currently taking in the press.
Thus far in 2020, Stafford isn’t having the type of season that will wow many folks. He’s thrown 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions with 1,017 yards, but each of those picks have been in critical junctures of the game which directly led to defeat. During Week 4, plenty wondered if Stafford’s body language was showing frustration. He has maintained that is more due to the frustration of not being able to help his team win.
Detroit did restructure Stafford’s deal a month back. While it’s tough to imagine them dealing the quarterback this season, it’s possible that he is heading for an uncertain future with the team should there be more dramatic personnel changes coming. If that’s the case, it could have plenty to do with losses stacking up as Orlovsky says.
Quandre Diggs: Matthew Stafford ‘Underrated’
Could Stafford flourish elsewhere if he is ever moved? It’s possible considering the opinion those around the league have od him. As far as Quandre Diggs is concerned, Detroit’s quarterback is actually underrated. The former Lions safety got on the internet and re-tweeted a video of Stafford letting loose with huge passes from 2019, admitting he thinks Stafford is actually underrated in the league at this point in his career as a result of his big arm.
Here’s the video:
Obviously, it’s safe to say Diggs has liked what he has seen from Stafford in his career, and after playing with him in Detroit, only has a stronger opinion about his overall talent. Diggs was traded to the Seattle Seahawks last season, but that hasn’t changed his take on his former teammate.
Perhaps there will be a time when Stafford isn’t so underrated, but current teammates and former ones alike seem to agree that he’s a major talent.
Matthew Stafford Explains He’s Committed To Lions
Speaking with the media earlier during training camp, Stafford commented again that outcome was excellent from his perspective, and cleared up a common misconception regarding the sale of his home. No, he isn’t looking to leave Detroit. Just the opposite, in fact. Stafford is committed to the team and the city more than ever.
Many wondered upon the revealing news that his Michigan house was for sale if this tipped either Stafford or Detroit’s hand moving forward, but it’s clear that his wife’s explanation at the time was spot on. Stafford remains committed to Detroit moving forward and that is great to see.
Stafford may be entrenched himself, but it will be fascinating to see how married the team is to him for the long run if changes do end up getting made.
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