Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions Working to Renegotiate Contract
By Ben Worthy
Matthew Stafford has two years remaining on the deal he signed with the Detroit Lions when he was taken number one overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew said in January the team would make an effort to renegotiate or extend Stafford’s contract this offseason.
Stafford has played in the caliber of a top-five quarterback the past two seasons, so it is about time he is paid as one. The Lions’ signal-caller doesn’t seem to worry about his contract, though.
”It’s not easy for me to talk about addendums in a contract and all that kind of stuff. Contracts, as far as those go, I don’t know everything there is to know about them. That’s why you hire an agent,” Stafford said, via the Detroit News.
As a rookie, Stafford signed a six-year contract worth up to $78 million. Since then, he has reworked his contract to help the Lions sign free agents.
This offseason has been a quarterback’s dream. Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract, while Tony Romo signed an extension with Dallas for six-years, $108 million. The Atlanta Falcons are also working with Matt Ryan on another big-money contract extension.
If Detroit plans on re-signing Stafford to a fair deal, they need to do so before another quarterback without a ring gets paid. If Ryan and the Falcons come to terms before Detroit does so with Stafford, number nine should be licking his chops. Tony Romo has not performed well in the playoffs (if the Cowboys even make it), but is being paid like a Super Bowl winning QB. This sets the bar for the likes of Ryan and Stafford.
But, like I said, money doesn’t appear to be on Matthew Stafford’s mind, like he confirmed with this statement:
”I want to break records on the field. I want to win games. I want to have as many good players around me as I possibly can. I love being here, I love this team, and I would love to bring a winner here.
The contract stuff will take care of itself. I’m really, honestly, not too involved with it.”