Matthew Stafford is a fine quarterback, but that he is now the highest-paid player in NFL history should make New York Giants fans further appreciate Eli Manning.
As ESPN’s Michael Rothstein explained, the Detroit Lions had no other choice than to sign quarterback Matthew Stafford to a deal that will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history as of the final week of August. A franchise player at the position is worth his weight in gold, which is why it is, seemingly, only a matter of time before the Washington Redskins or some other club makes Kirk Cousins even richer than he is today.
None of the following is meant to suggest the Lions overpaid Stafford. Teams such as the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and others would flip a boatload of draft picks for an opportunity to acquire a player as talented as the 29-year old who should, theoretically, play out the prime of his career as the leader of Detroit’s offense. The market, more so than his achievements, dictated Stafford’s latest contract.
With that said, Stafford cashing in this summer should give fans of the New York Giants yet another reason to appreciate the fact Eli Manning has been under center for Big Blue since the fall of 2004. Manning, who will turn 37 years old next January, is widely expected to enjoy a successful season guiding what will be a pass-happy offense, and the two-time Super Bowl MVP could even be a fantasy football steal so long as his offensive line isn’t a complete liability throughout the final four months of 2017.
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The Lions acquired Stafford using the first overall selection of the 2009 NFL Draft. While Stafford started in only 13 games from his rookie campaign through the end of the 2010 season, he hasn’t missed a start since September 2011. Manning, meanwhile, is the reigning NFL Iron Man who has started over 200 consecutive games for the Giants.
Much has been made about the stat that appeared on Twitter this past July pointing out Stafford currently holds a 5-46 record when facing teams with records of .500 or over. As Mike Payton of Pride of Detroit wrote, “quarterback wins” is a flawed statistic. A team, not any one person, wins and loses games as a unit. Sometimes a quarterback helps a defense with a late rally. Sometimes a defense saves a signal-caller who throws multiple interceptions on a given afternoon.
What is Stafford’s career-defining moment? At what point over the past seven years did you ever believe Stafford was dragging what should’ve been a 5-11 Detroit side to a postseason berth? His playoff resume is nonexistent minus three losses, and he never once looked like the league’s next great quarterback during any of those appearances.
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Stafford didn’t beat division rivals and notch a road playoff win in the process near the end of his fourth season. Manning and the Giants did that. Manning and the Giants beat Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field to secure a spot in Super Bowl XLII. Manning, not Stafford, made the greatest play in Super Bowl history when he connected with David Tyree to keep what became a championship-clinching drive alive.
Stafford defenders would point out he hasn’t always had great supporting casts throughout his Detroit tenure. That’s fair. When will it be appropriate to suggest Manning is at least somewhat responsible for getting the best out of those around him, though? Tight end Kevin Boss and wide receivers Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. all flourished while playing alongside Manning.
Would Beckham be carving a path toward enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame had the Browns, Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings or Tennessee Titans drafted him before the Giants were called to the podium that fateful night? Nobody can say for sure, but it’s a safe bet Beckham doesn’t regret landing with the Giants back in the spring of 2014.
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A plethora of general managers around the NFL would happily start Stafford ahead of any of the options presented to them before the final preseason game of the month. That’s not the case with the Giants. In Manning, New York has been one of the top big-game quarterbacks of his generation and, perhaps, in NFL history. His ability to show up when it matters most makes him the ideal leader for a team pursuing one last championship before he calls time on his Hall-of-Fame career.