Matthew Stafford: How Will History Look Back on the Detroit Lions Franchise QB?

Now, before we really get going into this I think it’s important for all involved to keep in mind that right at this very moment there is no sure way to answer this question.

That being said, there is no better time than the present to start thinking over the Lions scenario at quarterback.

Why did the Detroit Lions take Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick in the in 2009 draft?

What are fair expectations for a franchise quarterback taken No.1?

What do you expect from Matthew Stafford?

Alright, so take a minute to think those three questions over, and then let’s get into it!

I’ve heard this opinion thrown around through different media outlets in the Detroit area and it’s come up enough to really spark my interest in the subject, so I figured it would be good to gage how the readers are feeling.

True or False?

Matthew Stafford will be considered a bust unless he ends up having a Hall of Fame career.

In my opinion this is an incredibly true statement. Let me walk you through my thought process here.

The Lions have been ravaged at quarterback for as long as I can remember.

Joey Harrington was supposed to come in and be the “savior” that everybody was looking for, but as we all know by now anybody taken within the Matt Millen era is best served out of a Hall of Fame discussion, perhaps with the exception of Calvin Johnson.

Millen came and went, and the new front office stepped in with the critical need to right the wrongs, and steer the ship out of dangerous waters.

The obvious first place to start would be the helm, so they started at the top and most important position for the football team and drafted Stafford.

This is where it really gets interesting.

We all know that the Lions had full intentions of drafting their franchise quarterback. 

You don’t want to draft a Ryan Leaf with the first overall pick. You’re hoping, and I dare say expecting, to get a quarterback along the likes of Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.

You are drafting and should be expecting to get a quarterback that will win you multiple Super Bowls, be considered one of the best in the league, and eventually looked back on as one of the best ever.

That should be the expectation of a quarterback taken with the No. 1 overall pick.

Now, you know that this could easily go down the “china doll”, injury prone, hasn’t made it through a single season route, but I’m going to avoid that and look to the future instead.

I’m going to assume that Matthew Stafford is going to be able to overcome injuries and be able to play a whole season.

I’m actually going to take that a step further and assume that Stafford will be able to finish off his career without another catastrophic injury.

This is where the third question comes in.

What do you expect from Matthew Stafford?

Let’s say that Stafford goes on to lead a productive NFL life, takes the Lions to the Playoffs consistently, and captures a few Division titles here and there.

Is that good enough for you?

Or, are you expecting that as the No.1 overall pick he should be leading the Lions not just to the playoffs, but to winning multiple Super Bowls?

The obvious choice is the second option for any fan, but then one last question has to be asked.

Can Stafford realistically be that quarterback?

Will Matthew Stafford be mentioned among the likes of Joe Montana, Steve Young, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, and why?

What have we seen from Matthew Stafford that would indicate that he can be a Hall of Fame quarterback?

It is my personal belief that Stafford is going to have to be known as the best among the best in order to justify the Detroit Lions taking him with the first pick.

The standards must be set high with a quarterback taken that high, even in Detroit.

Only time will tell if Stafford will be able to meet the high expectations that should be placed on a franchise quarterback.

Until then all we can really do is sit back, watch and argue about it.

At least he’s keeping it interesting!