Did Tom Brady Departing Patriots Impact Matthew Stafford Trade Mindset?

Matthew Stafford was similar to Tom Brady in the fact both NFL quarterbacks, prior to Brady leaving the New England Patriots before the 2020 campaign, spent a decade or more playing for the franchise that drafted them.

And now, in two consecutive seasons, a franchise quarterback that departed the team that drafted him has made it to the Super Bowl in the first year with his new team. Brady left New England for the Buccaneers and won his seventh Super Bowl in Tampa Bay while Stafford was traded by the Detroit Lions and now has lifted the Los Angles Rams to Super Bowl LVI.

Besides that, however, Stafford admitted the two signal-callers have had quite different NFL careers. Stafford, after all, did not earn a single playoff win in his 12 seasons with Detroit. His first postseason victory came during this season’s run with the Rams while Brady, again, already had seven rings en route to becoming the best ever at the position.

That monumental difference, Stafford expressed Monday during Super Bowl LVI Opening Night press conferences, was why Brady’s path to Tampa Bay did not weigh on Stafford prior to his trade from Detroit. It did not impact his trade request.

“Well, I definitely did not think about what Tom had done. Our times at are drafted teams were a little bit different,” Stafford said with a smirk. “He won a bunch of Super Bowls, I was unable to win a playoff game at that point. So, we were, it was different times. I was not thinking about Tom but just thinking inside out what was going to be best for me, what was going to be best for the Lions and all that.”

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The fact it has happened twice in two seasons now makes it’s reasonable to think other signal-callers may think they could be next. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are just two examples of quarterbacks who have spent their careers with one team — the Packers and Seahawks, respectively — and now are being rumored as players who could land elsewhere this offseason.

Stafford didn’t offer much when asked if he believes the recent development started by Brady and himself could lead others to leave the franchise that drafted them.

“As far as other guys doing it? I got no idea. I think every situation is unique in this league and I think, I guess I’ll leave it at that,” Stafford said. “I don’t really know what other guys would or are thinking about moving but it’s just one of those things that happened for me, happened to work out well, and I’m definitely just appreciative that I have this opportunity.”

Stafford will join Brady with a Super Bowl if the Rams quarterback can lead Los Angeles, which is a four-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, over Cincinnati on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

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