NFL trade rumors: Matthew Stafford did not want to go to the Patriots
New Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was recently traded away from the Detroit Lions. In exchange for the star player, Detroit received QB Jared Goff, two future first-round draft picks, and a third-round pick in this year’s draft.
Stafford does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he technically didn't have any influence in this decision. But the Lions gave him the respect of allowing their franchise player to nix some potential trade destinations.
For example, Stafford was unwilling to be traded to the Carolina Panthers. As a result, the team will now look elsewhere to improve its quarterback situation. But Carolina wasn’t the only place that Stafford didn’t want to get traded to.
Matthew Stafford did not want to play for New England
Reports indicate that Stafford would have been unwilling to become the next quarterback for the New England Patriots. This offseason, New England will probably part ways with Cam Newton, the former franchise passer for the Panthers.
Newton was unspectacular in his one season at the helm in New England. The team missed the playoffs entirely, so the Patriots were left out of the postseason for the first time since 2008.
For years, the Patriots have been the embodiment of a winning culture in the NFL. But the team spent the 2020 season in a significant downturn. Legendary head coach Bill Belichick is still calling the shots in New England, but the team looks nothing like the Patriots of old. Former face of the franchise Tom Brady will be starting in Super Bowl LV for his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stafford’s refusal to consider New England as a trade destination is reportedly linked to Brady’s legacy. Brady went from a relative unknown to a first-ballot Hall of Famer over the course of his career in New England. He famously led the Patriots to 9 Super Bowl appearances, and they won six of them.
Stafford is a solid quarterback, but the pressure to produce on Brady's level would undoubtedly make his job as quarterback of the Patriots more difficult. Stafford was not just seeking a winning team with his trade, but he also wanted a fresh start. If Stafford had been traded to New England, his fresh start would have been filled with incredibly unfair expectations.
Los Angeles had been dealing with an inexperienced, streaky quarterback in Goff, so the Rams were a prime location for Stafford, a composed veteran at the position. Stafford will look to get the Rams back to the playoffs in 2021. With his new team, Stafford will aim to make his first career Conference Championship and Super Bowl appearances.
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