Fansided

Every NFL team’s most underrated player of all time

By Jarrett Bailey

Photo by JOHN CAPUTO/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by JOHN CAPUTO/AFP via Getty Images /
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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 24: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 24: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford

For years, the vast majority of media and fans claimed that Matthew Stafford wasn’t on the level of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, even when he constantly proved that he was.

Stafford was stuck in the endless hellscape known as the Detroit Lions franchise for 12 seasons. In that span, he had a season in which he threw for 5,000 yards, he threw for 4,000 yards in seven consecutive seasons, and eight overall, and led the Lions to three playoff appearances. He took over a team that went 0-16 the year before he showed up and made them relevant for a time.

One player can only do so much to help a team overcome itself. As good as Stafford is, how was he supposed to drag a Matt Patricia-led team to the playoffs.

“But Stafford was only good because of Calvin Johnson.” Wrong again. His numbers stayed where they were even after Johnson retired, and he had better seasons post-Megatron than many of the years that Johnson was there.

Now that Stafford is in Los Angeles with a competent organization and a great head coach along with the weapons he has, he is showing everyone how great he always has been- good for him.

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