Matthew Stafford achieved precisely what he got down to when he attached with the Los Angeles Rams forward of the 2021 season.
And for lots of people across the NFL, he reached the mountaintop a lot faster than they foresaw, whereas others did not consider he had the power to seize a Lombardi Trophy in any respect.
However Stafford proved all of his doubters improper, seizing the NFL's crowning jewel simply 12 months after arriving in Tinseltown. And in his eyes, he and the Rams could be even higher this upcoming season.
"I am enthusiastic about it," Stafford stated on Behind The Grind, an in-depth docuseries targeted on the group. "If you get a style of that success, it solely makes you need it extra."
For Stafford, his confidence stems from his expertise, and purchased information that being the very best group in soccer is the toughest factor to perform as knowledgeable.
"[Success comes with] being a little bit bit uncomfortable," Stafford mirrored on his first marketing campaign with Los Angeles. "Largest lesson I realized from final season, I feel, is it is by no means simple. Folks see the tip product, they see us hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, however it was a battle.
"At this level within the yr final season, I feel to myself what I knew about this group and this offense, and it is simply so small compared to what I do know and perceive now. So that provides me nice consolation in the truth that we will go above and past what we did final yr."
Stafford has just lately begun growing his bodily exercise, because the league yr ramps up its personal schedule. When he first arrived at voluntary camps, his squad had him targeted on a extra above-the-neck strategy — one that did not contain throwing in any respect.
The 34-year-old nonetheless practiced at sport velocity throughout minicamp, progressing by way of his reads earlier than making psychological choices. However he does not recall there being a comparable stretch in his profession that he abstained from passing. Stafford and the group consider this strategy will assist protect his arm for the lengthy haul.
"I've positively handled accidents all through my profession which have type of restricted me in sure methods," he stated. "However we do nearly as good a job right here as wherever I've ever been of having the ability to follow and make that follow really feel — stress individuals above the neck, get the tempo, get the communication, pressure all that stuff with out actually tearing individuals's our bodies down.
"So I do assume we get lots out of it. I feel that is been the very best a part of it for us to date, is having the ability to stress guys who're new to the system or in a brand new spot within the offense, and we're attempting out new stuff as properly, we're attempting out new tempos, new performs, all that type of stuff. There's lots to be gained, it is simply much less enjoyable for me once I do not get to do the one factor that I appreciated doing, which is throwing the ball."
