Analyst just said quiet part out loud about ex-Lions legend’s reputation

There’s no rewriting what Matthew Stafford meant to the Detroit Lions. He played hurt often, carried some truly bad rosters, put up numbers that never really got the credit they deserved, and took that same formula to Los Angeles, where he parlayed his talent into a Super Bowl ring.

That version of Stafford is a lock for Canton. No one’s going to argue that. But when ESPN’s annual quarterback rankings slotted him at No. 6 heading into 2025, it raised a few eyebrows. Not necessarily because Stafford can’t still play, but because that kind of placement feels like it leans more on what he’s meant to the league than what he’s putting on tape right now.

FanSided’s Christopher Kline summed it up better than most. And to his credit, he said the thing plenty of people are thinking.

Matthew Stafford’s legacy might be doing some heavy lifting here

Kline’s skepticism cut through the praise with an opinion that felt more grounded in what Stafford is now than what he’s been before:

“So, is the Rams gunslinger really the sixth-best quarterback in the NFL? Better than Jared Goff, who led the best offense in the NFL last season? … It’s hard to answer with an unequivocal ‘yes’ to any of those questions. … That doesn’t mean it’s not true, but it sure does feel like Stafford is benefitting immensely from years of built-up perception, rather than his actual output on the field last season.”

None of that takes away from what Stafford still brings to the table. He’s one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league. He sees things before they happen. He still drops in throws that most guys wouldn’t even attempt. But if this is a conversation about right now—and not a resume check—then the No. 6 ranking feels a little inflated.

He finished last year with 3,762 yards and 24 touchdowns in 16 starts. That’s solid. It’s also more in line with the middle tier than the top. There’s nothing wrong with that. Stafford’s game has evolved. He’s still capable of winning a lot of games, just in a different way than he did a few years ago.

So when you see him ahead of Jared Goff, Justin Herbert, and Baker Mayfield on a list like this, you can’t help but wonder what’s really being valued here. Stafford’s career deserves respect. That’s not in question. But if we’re talking about who’s playing the best football right now, it’s fair to ask if that version of Stafford still belongs in the top six. At the very least, it's food for thought.

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