Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had to wait 13 seasons before finally playing in a Super Bowl.
It was a long time coming for the former Georgia Bulldog who tried to elevate the Detroit Lions.
But winning Super Bowl LVI isn’t a small accolade in his lengthy career.
Aside from bringing the franchise’s first Super Bowl to California, the victory would also guarantee his place in Canton, Ohio.
A Hall Of Fame-Clinching Victory
Stafford has the numbers and the achievements that make him worthy of Hall of Fame induction.
He has eight seasons of at least 4,000 passing yards, including his 5,038 yards in 2011.
He’s thrown 323 regular-season touchdowns and completed 63 percent of his passes.
The Texas native also became the fastest quarterback to reach 45,000 passing yards and 3,000 completions.
Time to put some respect on Matthew Stafford pic.twitter.com/NfyfZWZuZy
— PFF (@PFF) February 10, 2022
Stafford also became the first player in NFL history to have a completion percentage of at least 60 percent in each game of the season.
Yet even though those accolades are impressive, Hall of Fame voters will always revert to his inability to win playoff games before being traded to the Rams.
He played in three playoff games during his tenure with the Lions, and he had Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in each of those.
But he might have changed the voter’s mentality after leading the Rams to three playoff victories before Super Bowl LVI.
.@BartScott57 shares his thoughts on what’s at stake for Matthew Stafford in Super Bowl LVI.
“He’s fighting for his legacy, and also validation.” pic.twitter.com/jNQ2Z6lydG
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 11, 2022
More importantly, the team needed every pass he completed to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Francisco 49ers.
Winning the Super Bowl at home melts away a decade’s worth of doubt that he couldn’t get it done in the biggest games.
Holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his hands cements his induction to Canton whenever he becomes eligible.
After all, Super Bowl victories justify being part of the best team for one season, and they will get comparisons with other Super Bowl-winning squads.
Luckily, he will have much-needed help to secure the elusive championship.
The Rams Can Win It All
Unlike his teams in Detroit, Stafford has much help with the Rams.
This season, the team pushed all of their chips to reach the big game, and the gamble paid off.
Aside from Stafford, general manager Les Snead also finalized deals for Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr.
They join Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald on a team with “Super Bowl or bust” written all over them.
Stafford also feels secured behind their veteran offensive linemen like Rob Havenstein and Walter Payton Man of the Year honoree Andrew Whitworth.
Aaron Donald
Jalen Ramsey
Matthew Stafford
Cooper Kupp
OBJ
Von Miller
Andrew WhitworthThe Rams are LOADED pic.twitter.com/dq7BlaiNwK
— PFF (@PFF) February 10, 2022
The Rams also have Sony Michel in the backfield and Jalen Ramsey in the secondary.
The team is in a great position to win the Super Bowl over the Cincinnati Bengals with all those players around him.
It remains to be seen if Stafford can win Super Bowl MVP honors which, would be a great cap to a successful season.
But even if he doesn’t get that distinction, winning the game is more important.
"Matthew Stafford finally got to a team with all the pieces around him.. he has been playing really good football for a really long time" ~Chuck Pagano#PMSinLA #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/DRqe9xrl9g
— 🅿️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 9, 2022
He would prove that the Rams made a fantastic decision of trading for him despite losing much draft capital.
More importantly, he certifies himself as a winner and paves his path towards the place where the game’s most outstanding winners get immortalized with a bronze bust.
NEXT: Cooper Kupp Makes NFL History With MVP Vote