Following the euphoria of winning Super Bowl LVI, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s Hall of Fame worthiness was a topic of discussion online and on television.
It began with future Pro Basketball Hall of Famer and three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade tweeting, “Matthew Stafford just wrote his HOF speech with this win! Congrats Champ!” It’s understandable that Wade was happy for a guy who suffered for years in Detroit, but to call him a Hall of Famer is a big overreaction.
Matthew Stafford just wrote his HOF speech with this win! Congrts Champ!
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 14, 2022
Stafford played good enough to win, going 26-40 for 283 yard, three touchdowns and two interceptions. But he wasn’t even named MVP, that honor went to wide receiver Cooper Kupp, and could’ve easily gone to Aaron Donald.
Wade’s tweet may have sparked a debate between former NFL player-turned-NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson and current NFL player Richard Sherman.
Robinson And Richard Sherman Disagree On Stafford: Sparks Online Debate
On “Good Morning Football,” Robinson said he believes Stafford is Hall of Fame-worthy. He was adamant that he thinks he’s done enough to get into Canton.
“Yes he’s a good jacket, ABSOLUTELY. The ultimate team goal, to win a Lombardi, Matthew Stafford actually has, and he was a huge part of winning this Super Bowl.”
What does a Super Bowl win mean for Matthew Stafford?
"Yes he's a gold jacket, ABSOLUTELY. The ultimate team goal, to win a Lombardi, Matthew Stafford actually has, and he was a huge part of winning this Super Bowl." — @RealMikeRob pic.twitter.com/zFkDnZhHPO
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) February 14, 2022
That got the loquacious Richard Sherman going, as he called the induction process more of a “participation trophy,” suggesting that it isn’t nearly as difficult to make it into football lore as it used to be.
Sherman tweeted:
“I’m gonna talk about it on the podcast, but the HOF bar is incredibly low now. Like a participation trophy. No All Decade Team. No All Pro. No MVP. 1 Pro Bowl. Not even MVP of the SB. Never considered the best in any year he played. At least Matt Ryan has an MVP.”
I’m gonna talk about it on the podcast but the HOF bar is incredibly low now. Like a participation trophy. No all decade team. No All pro. No MVP. 1 Pro bowl. Not even MVP of the SB. Never considered the best in any year he played. At least M. Ryan has an MVP https://t.co/TDQn8sJZfO
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) February 14, 2022
Sherman can talk, as the 34-year-old has a Super Bowl ring and has been considered the NFL’s elite cover corner at some point in his career. He also has five All-Pro selections, five Pro Bowl selections, led the NFL in picks in 2013 and he’s a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team. The king of sound bites can definitely flap his gums a bit on this subject.
"When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that's the result you gon' get."
Richard Sherman had a postgame interview to remember seven years ago 🗣
(via @nflthrowback)pic.twitter.com/GHy2zfZhEl
— ESPN (@espn) January 19, 2021
Stafford doesn’t have a prolific history of winning seasons. He spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Lions and had only two seasons where the team finished over .500. And a Hall of Fame induction isn’t solely based on postseason play.
Stafford had only three playoff appearances in his 12 seasons with the Lions, and that could hinder any hopes of him getting in, which are already minuscule. Winning the Super Bowl definitely gave Stafford’s résumé a huge boost in comparison to contemporary quarterbacks. His overall résumé doesn’t say HOF, as he’s only a solid-to-good quarterback.
For consideration into Canton it takes much more than winning a Super Bowl, in most cases it takes two Lombardi trophies and a history of winning seasons as well.
Lions fans watching Matt Stafford win a ring 🔥 @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/J2DBnpkx7Y
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 14, 2022
So, let’s stop all the “Stat Padford” Hall of Fame talk after the Super Bowl. He’s solid and nothing more. And as Sherman emphatically asserts, solid isn’t Canton-worthy. Let’s call this “Too Much Tuesday,” since “Overreaction Monday” has passed.
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