After the Lions this week extended Stafford’s rookie contract to 2017 and gave the 25-year-old $41.5 million in guaranteed money, former longtime quarterback Donovan McNabb said Stafford didn’t deserve the money.
“Is he worth top-five money? I would have to say ‘No,'” McNabb said on NFL Network. “And I say that because it’s about wins and losses. And what has he really done for the Detroit Lions? Nothing.”
(GO GET ‘EM GIRL)
Stafford has done nothing except lead the Lions out of the morass of 2008. Nothing except make one of the oldest franchises in the league relevant — not to mention interesting — again. Nothing except lead Detroit to the playoffs in 2011 for the first time since 1999.
Stafford has done nothing except throw for more than 10,000 total yards the past two seasons — more than any other quarterback except Tom Brady and Drew Brees — while the Lions have continued to rebuild from 2008. Stafford has averaged more passing yards per game during his first four seasons than anyone except Kurt Warner with the St. Louis Rams (1998-2001), according to ESPN Stats & Information.
After starting all 16 games each of the past two seasons, Stafford has shed the reputation of being fragile. He has become one of the Lions’ unquestioned leaders and hardest workers. And he has developed an innate connection with the Lions’ most important asset, Calvin Johnson.
That is hardly nothing.
Given its ignominious history, given the fact that the franchise has won only one playoff game in the Super Bowl era and hadn’t had a winning season since 2000 before Stafford arrived, Detroit happily gave Stafford an extension. There’s no reason to think Stafford won’t be the player he was in 2011, when he threw for 41 touchdowns and 5,038 yards, or that he won’t be more consistent with a legitimate running game.
To the Lions, Stafford’s potential and previous contributions are worth something. They’ve been to the bottom. They’ve seen the view looking up. They know better than anybody what nothing looks like, and Stafford has contributed much more than that.
via Matthew Stafford proved himself worthy of hefty contract extension from Detroit Lions – ESPN.
Great article. She’s absolutely right: we know what nothing looks like. To quote Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line, “YOU ARE NOT NOTHING.”
Snarfs who don’t appreciate the Schwartz Era need to holla at Matt Millen
Johnny Cash: My Daddy’s right. It should have been me on that saw. Jack was so good. He would have done so many good things. What have I done? Just hurt everybody I know. I know I’ve hurt you.
I’m nothin’.
June Carter: You’re not nothin’. You are not nothin’. You’re a good man, and God has given you a second chance to make things right, John. This is your chance, honey.
via http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0005794/quotes
…………………………..just sit back and start enjoying those 5,000 yds a year passing cause it means we will be scoring enough and the D just keeps getting faster and stronger…..how quickly we forget all the bad moves that were Made in Millen……move to New England if you want a sickening fireworks display every season!!