Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford might have a chance to “get in the way” of the Lions’ Super Bowl aspirations, according to one NFL analyst.
Stafford, now with the Los Angeles Rams since 2021, claimed a Super Bowl victory his first season on the West Coast. Now, as trade rumors swirl leading up to the NFL’s November 5 deadline, the possibility of Stafford joining one of Detroit’s biggest rivals has emerged. If traded, Stafford could become a sought-after addition for any team aiming to strengthen their playoff hopes.
One prominent NFL analyst suggests Stafford may consider a trade to a rival team in hopes of derailing Detroit’s playoff path.
Matthew Stafford ‘Could Want Out’
On October 22, NFL analyst Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk weighed in on the idea of Stafford possibly leaving the Rams for the Minnesota Vikings, an NFC North rival of the Lions.
“There’s chatter that we haven’t confirmed regarding the Vikings and Rams possibly talking,” Florio reported. “I’ve been openly advocating for the move, since Stafford would make the Vikings a legitimate Super Bowl contender.”
Further adding to the speculation, Charles Robinson, senior reporter at Yahoo Sports, noted on October 23 that while a Stafford trade remains “extremely slim,” the idea isn’t without appeal.
“Stafford has history with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, dating back to when O’Connell was briefly Stafford’s teammate with the Detroit Lions during the 2009 offseason,” Robinson explained.
This connection opens up the possibility of a kind of Lions revenge.
“I’m not going to go too far down this rabbit hole, but I wonder if Stafford would like the opportunity to get in the way of his former team, the Detroit Lions, and Jared Goff in the playoff picture,” Robinson speculated. “Personally, I think he would.”
The Vikings, already regarded as playoff contenders, have only lost one game this season—to the Lions—positioning them near the top of the NFL Power Rankings.
Michael Rand of the Minnesota Star Tribune also saw some merit in the idea of Stafford joining the Vikings, although he acknowledged it could be costly.
“The Vikings could probably make the money work,” Rand wrote on October 24. “But they’ve already set up a likely succession plan with J.J. McCarthy in 2025. And they have limited draft capital next year (only a first-round pick and two fifth-rounders). Trading for Stafford would likely require that first-rounder.”
He also questioned, “How much of an upgrade is a 36-year-old Stafford over Sam Darnold, the QB who has helped them to this hot start despite cooling off recently?”
A Contradicting Report on the Stafford Trade Rumors
Before Lions fans become too concerned, Vikings reporter Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune dismissed the idea on October 23, saying there was no substance to the rumors.
Goessling posted on X, saying, “Checking in on the Matthew Stafford-to-the-Vikings rumors I’ve been getting lots of questions about. Source said there’s zero truth to the idea the Vikings are trying to trade for him.”
Still, trade dynamics can shift quickly in the NFL. It remains to be seen if Stafford might eventually don a Vikings jersey.
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