Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions (Photo by USA TODAY Syndication)
Since the Detroit Lions acquired Jared Goff in the Matthew Stafford trade, there have been many comparisons. But there is a reason we shouldn’t.
We all know what happened. Matthew Stafford decided he couldn’t bear another rebuild. The Lions listened and granted his wish. General manager Brad Holmes confirmed in an interview this week with the Detroit Free Press that he would have built the team around Stafford had he not requested the trade.
So Matthew’s time in Detroit has come to an end. In the process, the Jared Goff era has now begun. Will it last as long as Stafford’s tenure? Most of us are guessing it won’t, but that’s not the issue.
In Stafford’s time with the Lions, he was the reason the fans had any hope. He has been one of the most overlooked passers in the league. That won’t be the case anymore.
In Los Angeles, Matthew’s every highlight will be revered by the analysts. It will almost be like ‘where did he come from?’ As he continues to do the things he did in Detroit that will become must-see highlights for the talking heads, even though those feats were barely acknowledged while he was still in the Motor City.
Yes, it’s a double standard. It’s one of the reasons the slogan ‘Detroit vs everybody’ is so apropos. In order for an athlete in the Motor City to get any real hype, he either has to play for a contender like when the Tigers were knocking on the door every year and Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera were nationally heralded or the athlete has to transcend the game like Barry Sanders.
So while Matthew Stafford will start to get the recognition he deserves, we need to avoid comparing Jared Goff to him. Something that has happened too much throughout the offseason already.