Getty Matthew Stafford looks at the sights of SoFi Stadium during the Los Angeles Rams' June 10 open practice.
Is there competition for Patrick Mahomes for the king of the NFL no-look pass?
Reports coming from beat reporters of the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday state that Matthew Stafford dazzled the crowd, plus got a “disgusting” response from wide receiver Cooper Kupp, during day two of the team’s training camp.
The “disgusting” moment? A pass Stafford threw where he didn’t even look at his intended target Robert Woods.
Right now, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and 2020 Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Mahomes holds the throne as the crown king of the no-look. But reports have trickled in online that Stafford pulled a similar stunt.
How Stafford’s Pass Was Described
Rams team reporter Stu Jackson helped make light of Stafford’s football sorcery. Jackson, in verbatim, described the moment without the usage of a photo or video, but through a tweet.
One subtle thing Cooper Kupp has noticed about Matthew Stafford in competitive camp reps is how Stafford moves defenses w/ his eyes. Pointed to a no-look pass across the middle to Robert Woods in which Stafford held the safety w/ his eyes.
“It was just disgusting,” Kupp said.
Rams beat reporter Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic managed to dig up a reaction from Kupp – which was a short response but enough to try to convince the reader the catch was worthy of an adjective.
Cooper Kupp’s description of a no-look pass from Matthew Stafford to Robert Woods today in which he held the safety with his eyes? “Disgusting”.
Rodrigue then managed to get a lengthier response from the team’s leading receiver from last year.
Kupp: Stafford held the safety to the back side, then moved an underneath defender on the no-look throw downfield. Definitely going to be cut-up for meetings later.
Perhaps, the Thursday pass was similar to the one Stafford pulled on the Kansas City Chiefs from November 2019, as one responder to the subsequent Rodrigue tweet showed.
@JourdanRodrigue Wouldn’t be the first time 😏
ESPN Rams reporter Lindsey Thiry also heard the “disgusting” response from Kupp on the no-look Stafford throw.
Rams WR Cooper Kupp just described one of Matthew Stafford’s throws out at practice today as “Disgusting.”
And that’s a good thing.
The Rams then released the press interview of Kupp describing the day and the pass, the latter getting mentioned between the 1:30 and 2:40 mark of the post practice presser video.
On my end, I began scouring the internet to see if someone, anyone, captured video of it and posted it online…with me making my past journalism professors happy by using Journalism 101 and crediting the original source of whoever got video of the no-look throw.
In all likelihood, the no-look pass wasn’t from this clip, since there was no safeties around and it was just Stafford and Woods in what appears to be a group session with QB’s and receivers.
Matthew Stafford to Robert Woods. Day 2 of training camp.
Whatever the pass looked like, there was another Ram who was awe-struck by the way Stafford spun the football on Thursday: Veteran Rams punter Johnny Hekker, who said “The dude can straight rip it.”
A Further Description By Rams Website
So no videos sprouting up on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or even TikTok of the Stafford no-looker so far. Bummer.
But credit to Jackson. In his “10 Observations” piece he released on Thursday evening, he made mention of Stafford’s day in the first two points – including describing that pass.
“Quarterback Matthew Stafford makes it look easy during red zone drills. He connected with wide receivers Van Jefferson, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, all on tight-window throws,” Jackson said in his No. 1 observation.
But then came his more illustrative No. 2 observation: The no-look throw. Jackson revealed who the defeated defensive back was.
“More on the Woods touchdown catch: To understand just how small the window was on that throw, safety Taylor Rapp was in a great position to make a play on the ball. After the play was over, Rapp appeared to stand there in disbelief thinking he had done everything to make the interception. Rapp did everything he could, it was just a great throw from Stafford,” Jackson wrote.
Video or no video, sounds like Stafford is putting on a show in Irvine, and just added his first career no-look throw with the Rams.