Who Could End Up Being The NFL Version of Kevin Durant?
By Erik Lambert
A lot of people are happy that basketball superstar Kevin Durant finally got his ring. Richly deserved of course, but also considered somewhat hollow?
Many feel he took the easy way out by joining the powerhouse Golden State Warriors. A team that already reached two NBA Finals and won a championship the previous two seasons. His additions made the road to the trophy so easy. As evidenced by their losing just one game throughout the entire playoff run. As great as he played, the performance will never be held in quite the same esteem than if he’d managed to do it with Oklahoma City. The same way in which Magic did it with L.A., Bird did it with Boston, and Jordan did it with the Bulls.
At the same time it raises an interesting question. Is there a possible NFL player out there who could end up doing the same thing? He leaves his own team after years of playoff frustration to join a team with a roster ready to win a championship? There is in fact one name that sticks out.
Matthew Stafford fits the Durant scenario
If there is one player that comes across the same sort of situation as Durant, it has to be Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Think about it. He’s been in the NFL for eight years. He’s taken his team to the playoffs three times and still has yet to win a postseason game. At age 29 he is still in his physical prime but the clock is ticking louder than ever. That sense of urgency has to be there and getting strong by the second.
Stafford is a Pro Bowler who has thrown for at least 4,200 yards in six-straight seasons. He has 25 career 4th quarter comebacks including a monstrous eight in 2016. The guy has pretty much carried that organization on his back, especially since Ndamukong Suh left and Calvin Johnson retired. His contract is up after this season. If the Lions again fail to make headway in the NFC, could that end up being the final straw for him?
It shouldn’t surprise any if it is. Detroit may be able to deter people from pursuing him with the franchise tag but Stafford is the sort of talent that would convince teams a trade is worth it. Imagine if he landed on a team like the Bengals, Jaguars, or Cardinals? Teams equipped to make a run but may need that last bit of juice at QB to make it happen. Don’t think for a second he hasn’t at least considered it, no matter what he might have said in public.
That’s the sort of Pandora’s box LeBron James opened back in 2010. It wasn’t just the NBA he affected with that “Decision” to head for Miami. It was all of pro sports.