Stafford explains trade request: 'I wanted to shoot my shot' at a championship

Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford says an opportunity to win a championship was the driving force behind the trade to the Los Angeles Rams.

"I've always wanted to play in those big games, I feel like I will excel in those situations," he said, according to Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press. "I wanted to shoot my shot."

The 33-year-old holds multiple franchise records with the Lions, but an opportunity at a Super Bowl has eluded him throughout his career. The Lions have made the postseason just three times with Stafford but didn't win a single playoff game.

Stafford added he never thought he would finish his career outside of Detroit but also said he would only stall the Lions' current rebuild if he stayed with the organization.

"In my mind, I felt like I was going to be able to help us go win six, seven, eight games, because I wasn't gonna let us lose more than that, you know? But I probably wasn't good enough (by myself) to help us win more than that. And maybe we don't ever get those top picks that we needed," he said.

"Frankly, didn't feel like I was the appropriate person to oversee that time."

While leaving the Lions looked all but certain after he submitted a trade request following the 2020 season, Stafford wasn't expecting to end up with the Rams. The veteran initially thought the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, or Washington Football Team would acquire him.

"I just didn't know how (the Rams) would ever be able to," Stafford said. "You know, I'm not a salary cap guru. It kind of got to a point where I'm like, OK, I can't sit there and go crazy. I just tried to let it happen. And L.A. aggressively jumped into it."

The new Rams passer is "excited" about the potential of his new destination but added he's going to miss the organization that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2009.

"The way that they handled it, I think it's worked out for everybody, and I think it will in the future. I cannot express how much gratitude I feel towards the Lions for handling it the way they did."

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