In a post-game interview, quarterback Matthew Stafford processes a tough playoff loss. He acknowledges the emotional and physical toll, but focuses on gratitude for his 17-year career, his teammates, and his family. He shares a poignant moment comforting his crying daughter, using it to teach resilience—a lesson he also applies to himself. Stafford reviews missed opportunities on the field, taking personal responsibility for plays that could have changed the outcome. He emphasizes team unity, supporting distraught teammates like Xavier Smith and expressing a particular desire to have won for veteran DeVante Adams. Despite the loss, he genuinely expresses happiness for the success of his close friend and former teammate, Cooper Kupp. Looking ahead, Stafford states that any decision about his playing future will be a holistic one made with his family after taking time to reflect on the season. He discusses the transition from the regimented football schedule to the offseason, valuing the increased family time while missing the competitive grind.
Let's go, here we go, let's go, we're back on the air, let's go, presented by Delta Air Alliance. Delta every route, every yard, every takeoff is an opportunity for greatness, unlock your potential when you keep climbing, visit delta.com to book today. Matthew Stafford, our partner here on Let's Go, how are you doing today, bud? I'm doing okay, Jim. How are you? I'm doing all right. Didn't quite go through what you did other than watching the TV and pulling for you, my friend. Past 24 hours, I'm sure have been emotionally difficult and traumatic from the standpoint of putting everything into it in a season and everything into this game and just coming up short. How you handling it today? Yeah. You know, I'm doing okay. You are correct. There is so much that goes into it from a physical standpoint, an emotional standpoint. Sports is an unbelievable thing. It takes everything out of you, but gives you so much and can be difficult at times. But there were really tough moments, you know, in the last 24 hours, like you said. But the further I get away from it, now we're only a few hours, but the further I get away from it, the more appreciation I have, I feel so lucky to be able to do what I get to do with the group of people that I got to do it with this year. You know, my daughter was crying after the game in my arms and saying, "Dad, I feel so bad for you." And I told her, "You know what? Don't feel bad for me. I said my life's a blessing. I get to play this game. I've gotten to play it for 17 years. I said I got four little girls that are cheering me on of beautiful wife that's doing the same and sports and football in particular is difficult at times, but it also gives me the opportunity to teach my kids and be something for them, right? I could sit there and go, "Man, I feel like I played good and we didn't win." And this happened and that happened and excuses, but it's like, "No, like, you know, have the courage to go put yourself out there, live with the results and learn from them." And it was a moment in time that I'll never forget just being able to talk to her in that moment and bring her back from tears, just, but also saying it to her and also saying it to myself at the same time, it's a special thing. We were on the air with a moment like that with Tom when his kids came up to him after the Super Bowl lost to Philadelphia. They were in tears and that's just a moment that I'm sure you're never going to forget and it was a moment to see it that was, you know, still gives me chills to this moment. Does it break your heart for them? It does because it just means that they care. This year my girls have fallen in love with the game and being around it and cheering for dad and Kelly did such an unbelievable job to get them to all the games that they wanted to go to and, you know, the organization was fantastic in helping them experience, you know, this season in such an amazing way and for that to end is tough for them and tougher, you know, for me to see them like that as a parent, I don't ever want my kids to be upset. It's part of life and it's going to happen and it's things they're going to learn from, but it's still, it tugs at the heartstrings when I see them feeling that way. But luckily, I was able to kind of just give them some perspective and get them out of that and, you know, by the end of it, they seem like they were, you know, back to feeling better and they knew that dad was going to be around a little bit more to take them to school and do all the things that go watch basketball games and do all that stuff that they love when I'm around to do. So that part of it was exciting in a way. What kept you up last night from the game? Oh, just things that I could have done better. I mean, whether that's early in the game, maybe completing a, you know, a third and a couple of third downs that were, would have been underneath the sticks, but maybe one of our guys runs for them and makes a play instead of settling for a field goal. We get a touchdown there. And then obviously the last, you know, real drive that we had had some opportunities down in the red zone and I got to give Seattle credit. You know, they did a nice job covering up some stuff, but where there are plays that I could have made, where there are throws that I could have made, you know, I just, I think about those moments and that's the emotional part that's hard for me in the offseason because inevitably there'll be a time that I will think about that and what I could have done better and how I could have helped us win and maybe move on. But I've played a lot of ball and learned to learn to deal with those things. So, but that's kind of what keeps me up. Guys trying to lift you or are you trying to lift guys in particular, I'm wondering if you've had any interaction with the Xavier Smith who's going to carry this with him for an awful long time. Yeah, absolutely. I did kind of right after where it's told him to, you know, on the field, I told him, hey, flush it. It's over, you know, whatever. And then in the locker room, you know, it was hectic on the field. We're continuing to play a game, whatever that is and trying to rally back, which I was so proud of our group because we did. We still had opportunities, you know, answered multiple, you know, shots from Seattle back and forth and kept it close. But I just told him I loved him, man, you know, I was like, he's such a great kid. He's done everything he could possibly do to put himself in the position to have success. And sometimes it doesn't happen and it doesn't make me, doesn't change the way I feel about him as a person, as a player. None of that. We win as a team. We lose as a team. I understand how he's feeling because I've been in that situation at the quarterback spot. Had the ball in my hand and made a play that I didn't want to make or I didn't plan on making that cost us, you know, some momentum in a game or something. I just, I love what that kid's about. He's all about all the right stuff and I just told him that. I want him to know that Jim Gray with Matthew Stafford. We're here on Let's Go. Let's go. Let's go as brought to you by Monster Energy. Monster Energy is about living loud, going bigger and never backing down. That's the lifestyle. That's the beast. That's Monster Energy Unleash the beast. You had such a great season and now how will you look back upon this? I know it's fresh. My opinion you're going to be the MVP. We'll find out next week. How do you think you're going to reflect on this? You know, I think with time, there'll be a lot of positive memories, you know, it's, and some of them even in defeat, you know, and just how we handled that this year and how I grew. We grew as a group. I watched people come into their own as players, as coaches, as whatever that is, battled through what was a tumultuous start to the season for me and I just know that I'll look back on it with, you know, a bunch of gratitude for the people that helped me continue to play weekend and week out. You know, the guys that I work with in our training room, the, you know, Tito, the guy that I work with, you know, five days a week at my house to try and keep me upright and play in my kids, my family that sacrifice so much, there's going to be a lot of gratitude of, I love this game. I've played it for a long time and I don't take for granted the opportunity to do it with special people and I was able to do that, you know, this year and really since I've been in Los Angeles so I do, I do appreciate it. It's got wrenching at the moment, but I know that with time, I will, I'll realize that it was a special, you know, special season and a lot of special people were involved in that. There's such a fine line here, you know, a point separated you guys to pass four games and now it's a drive here or play there that separates you, the difference between them going on perhaps to glory and winning the Super Bowl and you guys just becoming part of the 2025 season. Can you explain that fine line because you've been on top and you know what it takes and now you're on the other end? Yeah, you know, I've been in, like you said, was lucky enough to win a Super Bowl championship in 2021 and know what that takes and it takes great effort, a great team and sometimes the ball bouncing your way, you know, it didn't this season, but I do know that, I mean, Seattle's a hell of a football team. I got to give them a ton of credit. I thought Sam played great yesterday. Their team has played great all season long. That was a hell of an atmosphere to try to go in and, you know, grab a win in. I would imagine, you know, not that we're into making predictions, but my prediction would be that, you know, they're going to win the game. You know, I think they've been one of, if not the best teams in football all season long and played a grueling schedule and have played it in a really high clip. So tough pill to swallow, not getting there, but knowing that, you know, sometimes just that's the way sports are and you got to have the courage to go out there and put yourself out there and live with the results. And a guy that was with you, your MVP in that Super Bowl, Cooper Cup, comes back, plays a great game and bites the Rams right back. I'm sure there's a portion of you that that really stings and then there's a portion of you that kind of is happy for him if that's possible. Yeah, it's about right, you know, Cooper's a great friend in life for me. He's a guy that I texted throughout the season and, you know, was that my house last off season when he's in town and I just, I appreciate what he's about so much as a human being. Obviously as a football player, he's an outstanding football player and teammate, but just as a human being, I'm happy for his success. I really am. I tried to find him after again, took me forever to find him. I went and grabbed him and just told him good luck and, you know, if he wins another one because he deserves it. But there's people, there's certain people in this game where, you know, they walk away from it and they go, man, that guy's got two Super Bowl rings or three, you're like, oh, I wouldn't have been, you know, guess that or, you know, I don't know about that and the guys like Cooper Cup, you go, man, the man he deserves everything he can get. So I'm happy for him. I'm happy for, you know, his boys and his wife and his family as tough as it is for me to say that, you know, 24 hours after losing to him and having a chance to go win the Super Bowl ourselves, but life is about relationships and football has given me so many great opportunities to, you know, build those relationships with some really special people and sometimes those people are on your team forever and other times they're, they're not. But he'll always be a friend to me and somebody that I'm, I'm pulling for. More with Matthew Stafford as we continue here on Let's Go stay with us if you need a romantic getaway weekend retreat or just a day of fun. Golden nugget hotels and casinos are the perfect destination for the ultimate getaway. With eight world class resorts from coast to coast, there's no better place to stay, play and win. Visit golden nugget.com to book your getaway today. Matthew Stafford stays with us when we return right here on Let's Go. Welcome back to Let's Go. I'm Jim Gray along with great Matthew Stafford. If your next play is buying a home or refinancing, you'll need a local home loan expert who will guide you every step of the way. You want it, mortgagematchup.com, it's powered by United wholesale mortgage LLC, equal housing lender, NMLS, number 3038 licensed in all 50 states and the district of Columbia. Hey Matthew, you mentioned the relationships and I know you have a Super Bowl and you'll always have that and no one can ever take that away. You and the Rams, what you did a few years ago. But there's guys in the locker room who weren't part of that team who it probably hurts even worse than it does for you today because they see this chance as perhaps that once in a lifetime because you never, ever know what's around the corner and what's next. What are your feelings towards them and perhaps any of the conversations that you could relate perhaps to Puca or Devante or some of the other guys? Yeah, I mean that's the hardest part. As a quarterback I feel like I'm responsible for so many guys and on our team and so much of the success of our team and you want to go win those games to give the people that haven't experienced what you got to experience. You want to give them that. I wasn't able to do it. Devante has obviously been to that game so many times before and has not been able to break through and I really thought that yesterday was going to be that day and I wanted to be that guy for him specifically. Seeing him beat up after the game understandably so was tough and I just talked to him like a friend and somebody that cares about him and told him how I felt and just told him, basically what I just said, I wish I could have been better for him and gotten us to where we wanted to go just to give him that opportunity because he's such a great player in this league. He's got such an amazing legacy in this league and he deserves the opportunity to at least go play in a game that gives him a chance to put a ring on his finger because he's that type of player and it didn't happen and that's tough pill for me to swallow but I do appreciate the hell out of him and what he did for our team and what kind of teammate he was this season. He's a special guy and obviously a big time player in this league for a long time. Which leads us to looking forward. What will be the evaluation in the thought process that you will go through? It will be a lot. I'll be able to go into it, you know, it's a physical, mental and emotional decision, personal and a family decision as well so we'll figure all that kind of stuff out with some time. I know I had a ton of fun playing football this season and I had so much fun playing for the Rams so when I'm ready to figure that out I'll be ready to figure that out. That moment isn't right now. I have so much more time I feel like to reflect on just the people in the season that we just had. I want to appreciate that and give it the time that it deserves before I start thinking personally about what's next for me and my family. You said to us earlier in the season that football dominates your life and now it ends. Whether it ends for good, it's ended for good for this season. Can you tell us what the adjustment is just from going from a domination of your life to you know, now you're not thinking about obviously football that you're thinking about what happened yesterday but you're not thinking about moving forward. Yeah. You know, I think I don't want that to be, you know, misconstrued in the way that it wasn't in the context of you don't love your family and you don't care about your girls for most and so forth. Yeah. And all of the sacrifices that you made so let's have everybody have the context. Yeah. No, it's just, it's such a, a scheduled dominator, right? Like my life is just, hey, next game, where, what are we doing? I have practiced these days to, you know, and all that. And so, you know, there's a part of it that I really miss that because I love that, right? I love that grind. I love that, you know, that part of trying to achieve and doing it right now. You know, and next week, okay, what do we have? How do I achieve? How do I get the result that I want to get for our team and for our organization? So that, that's not there for another however many months, you know, we don't even have that opportunity to get that result, you know, at the end of the week. But I do have a whole lot more time to be around and, you know, do the things that I love to do also, you know, which is be with my friends, be with my family, you know, spend time, you know, traveling, doing all that kind of stuff. So that's, that's kind of what it morphs into now, you know, it's slowly, slowly gets there as we figure out a little bit more of the new schedule and what that feels like in the offseason. I don't know, I just, I appreciate the opportunity to play and football does dominate so much of that during the season, but there is a part of the offseason that is joyful and the fact that I get to be around some people that I don't get to be around during the year as well. Matthew, we always do the excellence award and we invite everybody to step into the Hall of Excellence at the spectacular Fountain Blue Las Vegas where sports history comes alive. It's the home of the most extraordinary collection of sports artifacts ever assembled, including Jackie Robinson's bat, Muhammad Ali's glove, Simone Biles Leotard, and all seven of Tom Brady Super Bowl ring stretchers from every era and an unforgettable championship trophy collection. The Hall of Excellence inside Fountain Blue Las Vegas experience history, celebrate legends, visit Hall of Excellence.org for more information. And I'm going to take the award this week because the award goes to Matthew Stafford. It goes to you, pal. You have been excellent this entire season. You were excellent yesterday. It's in a losing effort. So we will call you the Jerry West, the Jerry West, the logo, the NFL. And he won the MVP award on a year that he didn't win the NBA final. So the excellence award goes to you, my friend. Well, I appreciate it, Jim. It's been a hell of a year. There was a hell of a year. And I appreciate all the moments along the way and the kind words for me there. Matthew Stafford, he'll be with us next week and through Super Bowl 60. Matthew, appreciate your time, pal. Always thanks, Jim. I'm Jim Gray. Let's go, presented by Delta Airlines. Touchdown on your Let's Go moment with Delta. Where I keep climbing mentality pushes us from better to best. Visit delta.com to book today. We've got the great Max Crosby with us as always. Max, what's happening? Bud, how you feeling? What's up, brother? I'm doing phenomenal. Week three, a rehab start today and getting everything rocking and rolling. So it's been good. It's been a nice build up, but feeling a lot better. Still on the crutches. It's going to be a little bit of time with that, just, you know, as far as meniscus, a little tricky. I've got to stay off it for a good amount of time, but about halfway there until I start walking around and makes you appreciate how much, you know, how valuable your legs are. You know, when you like, you got to ask for help all the time and Rachel's baby sitting me and Ella's bringing me food and, you know what I mean, it makes it, uh, makes you put things in a perspective. I might want to stay hurt for a while, Max. That sounds like a pretty good routine. I might want to keep that routine for most people. For me? No. I need it. I like doing, I like being self-sufficient. I have a lot of people who help me and, you know, help me in my life, but, you know, not being able to, like, be active and bouncing around. Oh my goodness. It's a, it's a different challenge, but it's, uh, it's forced me to stay calm, you know what I mean? And that's, that's a good thing. So life is good. Yesterday. All right. I'm sure you're in the theater taking it all in. Uh, let's start with the Broncos and the Patriots. That was just old school football just reminded me of my childhood. Uh, I grew up in Denver, uh, so you know that, that winter can come in a hurry and, uh, when you're playing football in it, it's not easy. And there's no, uh, you know, no hash marks, no lines on the field. You don't know exactly where you are and, uh, points were at a premium. What was it like for you to watch that game, uh, knowing that Super Bowl was on the line? Yeah. I mean, like you said, it's, it's that, uh, throwback, grimy, no completed passes, just, you know, field position and, um, just one of those games, just all defense and it just really comes down. You know, it's funny. I was sexy and Robbie during the game, our D line coach and we, you know, we just talk ball all the time and he was just like this time of year, it's just, everybody knows for the most part what everyone's doing. It just really comes down to execution. Who's going to not mess up? You know what I mean? And it would, when you look at that game, you know, the swing when, when stood up and tried to, I don't know what the shuffle pass, the ball forward, you know, it goes, ends up going backwards. I mean, in that situation, if you, if Denver takes the three and goes up 10, zero and then just doesn't turn the ball over, I mean, they have all the momentum, they have complete control of the game. But then he, he cut, he has that turnover, turns into a tie game right before the half and it's like, that changes everything. Uh, so it just shows you like how the little details when it matters most always come to life and that's just what that game came down to. You know, they had two turnovers and New England just took care of the ball. Didn't mess it up and they got a win on the road against a, against a really good team. So yeah, that was a, that was a fun game to watch. Let's talk about a couple of things before we jump forward here. On that play with still them, it looks like the ball is deflected in some form, whether it's in his hands or out of his hands and it's ruled a backwards pass. So there was a lot of interpretation that needed to go on on that play after the official that got it wrong initially. Were you aware of that? And is that happened to you before? I'll say there's been a lot of weird rules that I figured out after the plays happened, you know, as far as specifically with like strip sack and the quarterback and stuff like that. There was one time when I played the chargers with Justin Herbert and it was the first drive of the game. I strip sack them, knocked the ball out of his hand. The ball bounces off his leg, rolls forward and he jumped on the ball past the line of the scrimmage. I didn't get credit for a sack, even though I strip sack them because the ball was fielded by the quarterback, pass the line of scrimmage. So technically by rule, that's not considered a sack and I was sickened in my stomach. I thought I had a strip sack to start the game and I found out after the game, I didn't get credit for it. Did you lose a bonus at the end of the year because you didn't, you were one short? No, no, no, definitely not. But it was still like, when that happens, those are the ones you don't, like you never think of that rule until it happens to you. Like that type of situation, like it's a weird rule because the ball is still in his hands, but technically the ball did go back. So I don't know, and when you're just looking at a plane site, it didn't look like a fumble when stood him, you know, got through the ball, but one of those plays where it could have been avoidable just by taking the sack and I feel like try to make the right player just get rid of the ball, but he held on to it for way too long, especially like in that scenario, it was just very, it was extremely risky and, you know, it hurt the team ultimately in the end. It also hurt the team that Sean Payton didn't take the field goal. You have a backup quarterback who hasn't played in more than two years and you have a chance to go up 10 to nothing. Meteorologists know the moment these things are going to happen, you have to know if you're the Denver Broncos head coach that this storm is coming and the points are premium. These analytics drive me crazy. It's one thing if you're looking at the analytics and Tom Brady or one of these great quarterbacks, Sasha Helen is your quarterback. It's all another thing when a guy isn't played in two years and you're just looking at numbers. It's something that's going to haunt Sean Payton, who we love on this show, who's a great coach, who put his team in tremendous difficulty and peril because of that decision. I believe in analytics, but it's like anything else, like too much of something is never good for anybody. And, you know, I feel like the momentum of the game and you got to, like, understand and feel like, OK, in this moment, do we have the momentum or are we moving the ball? Well, OK, what's the situation is the weather getting worse and worse? Do we need these points? Or, OK, can we take a risk here? It's like, all those things you got to put into consideration. It's not just, OK, the numbers we live and die by no matter what, it's like this double edge sword that there's no perfect formula to it. But I think analytics definitely in our game now are a lot more, you know, they're considered a lot more. And I feel like, you know, for me, I'm more old school, like, I feel like you got to feel it. It just has to be an understanding in a game. If you have momentum and you feel like, OK, we're moving the ball. We've been killing. OK, let's go for it right here. This feels right. My feel like it's more about instinct in that situation, not just going, you know, living and dying by the analytics. We said goodbye to Matthew Stafford, but as he's cleaning up over there at the Rams, let's bring him in on this and ask him his opinion, Matthew analytics comes into play so often during these games. So what's your feeling being an old school guy? And now you're having these analytics. Sometimes they're great and sometimes they're being forced down your throat. Yeah. He's definitely played differently now than it used to be. When I first came in the league, you punted on every fourth down and you kick field goals on every fourth down. And it's just not the case anymore. And a lot of times I feel like it works out, you know, because of the studies and, you know, all the people, smart people that are out there that are, you know, talking about it and thinking about it before we even play the game, I do agree with what Max said. I mean, there's so many things that, you know, go into a decision like that, whether it be the elements outside the weather, the way the ball is going that day, you know, they're not we're moving the ball on offense or our defense is playing great. So there's a lot to, you know, that goes into it. But I do think it's a collaborative effort in most places. It is here. It is. And a lot of places I would imagine, you know, you don't just sit there and live and die by the numbers. You got to sit there and feel out the game and use them as something that hopefully gives you an advantage or helps steer you in the right direction. And then you're going to have all those people like me who are the next day going to say, you **** it up. You got it all wrong. Why didn't you kick the field goal? Yeah, I mean, hindsight's 2020, right? If you win the game, it's a great decision. If you lose the game, you know, it's, it's not that's the world we live in. And we can't sit there and second guess ourselves, you got to live in the moment. Trust yourself. Trust, whatever your process is, whether that's a numbers process or a gut feeling process, you'd eat yourself alive. If you sat there, you know, every week going, oh, to shoot it on this, shoot it on that. You got to trust. Trust what you do. Trust it and go. How often does the defense lick their chops say, hey, we get a chance to stop them here? In a situation, you know, you're going to get a rookie quarterback or a younger guy in experience or, you know, just a guy that you feel like you got an advantage against, you know, as far as, you know, playing the quarterback position, you're like, okay, we got this. Or if they're old lines a little weaker, like, okay, perfect. Another opportunity to get home. If you got to defend Matthew Stafford or Josh Allen or Pat Mahomes for four downs instead of three, it makes your job harder. As a defense, you know, I love being out there. You know, me, I'm a psycho. I don't even come out the field. So that's like, you know, I like being out there and getting another opportunity. All right. I need to get home. This is my opportunity. I can get them out the field. Like, it's all about perspective, but it makes it a lot more difficult when you got a guy, you know, that's elite at the position, you know, slinging the ball back there. So, yeah. But if you got guys at the right mentality defensively that are, you know, wanting to step up to those challenges, it makes your job, you know, a lot easier. Jim Gray with Matthew Stafford and Max Crosby. Let's go is brought to you by Monster Energy. That's the beast. That's monster energy unleashed the beast. Max, you, uh, you have gone through this now several weeks earlier, the crash and burn aspect of ending a season when you don't expect it to end and don't want it to end. So you have a little bit of a jump on the teams who've been going through the playoffs and so forth. Can you just kind of talk what it's like to go through that withdrawal? The hardest thing as a competitor is to just stop doing what you do every single day in love. You work all year round to get an opportunity to play the game and, you know, the farther you go, the harder it is to shake back from it. You know, you, you put everything into perspective and you start thinking about everything. The hardest part about it is you don't just start from where you left off. You know, if you make the AFC championship, if you make the Super Bowl, if you win the Super Bowl, if you lose the Super Bowl, no matter what, you've got to break it all the way back down to the studs and you've got to build it up. You know, your body, your mind, your, your physical, your emotional, all that. You've got to start from square one and every team is different every single year. Some teams can catch a lightning in the bottle, but then not win for six years after that. It's just, you know, it's a part of this game and it's really hard to get to the top and it's extremely hard to stay at the top. Max, we're going to let you go. Matthew, I'm going to ask you one more question. We've already said goodbye to you, but I did an interview with Kobe Bryant after he lost a conference championship game and he came over and he was gracious in defeat to agree to give us his time. And I said, what now? And he said, the off season begins today and I will work myself to exhaustion to get us to where we need to be me and my teammates. And it begins this moment. How are you feeling having had 24 hours and hearing that? Yeah. I mean, I'm obviously impressed by the quote, you know, it's, it's an incredible mindset to have that soon after, you know, what was the defeat for him and, you know, the longer I play the game, the harder these things get because you just don't know how many opportunities you'll have left, you know, to do what you love to do and do it with a great group of guys and, and achieve things as a team that are special and, and really cool to be a part of. I, I agree with what Kobe said, you know, it is a long off season. There's a lot to be accomplished. You know, I think the biggest part for me that is, maybe the toughest part, you know, physical is obviously a big part of it, I don't wish having a surgery like Max, that's the, that's the worst stuff, you know, and, and having to deal with that in the off season. But a lot of times for me, the emotional aspect of it is just you pour so much into it, sacrifice so much time with your family, whatever that is, and then having to wrap your head around doing that again, you know, that's, that's a lot of times the most difficult part for me. So in the same vein of Kobe talking about the off season starts right now and, and all that, I agree, but sometimes work in yourself is, is realizing that you're empty and you got a long way to go and it's piece by piece, you know, it's not, do I sit there and, you know, go get in the squat rack tomorrow and, and, and do all those kind of things. It's okay. It's take a little bit of inventory of what do I need to make sure that if I do want to do this again, my cup is full before we start again. Max, as always, we appreciate your time. We'll talk much more next week about the Super Bowl matchup. We've got a week to digest who's going in and we look forward to talking to you next Monday night right here. Matthew, goodbye again. Nothing like saying goodbye and then you don't leave. Hello. Goodbye. And thank you both. Appreciate it. Great game. That's a great Max Crosby and Matthew Stafford, thanks to our producer Dave The Snake Hagen. Let's go presented by Delta Airlines, thanks to our sponsors, Delta Airlines, Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos, mortgagematchup.com powered by United wholesale mortgage, monster energy, and the hall of excellence inside Fountain Blue Las Vegas. Let's go with Matthew Stafford Max Crosby and Peter King was produced by scratchy productions in collaboration with Shadow Lion. Listen to the full version of this episode of Let's Go and any episode you may have missed wherever you get your podcasts and on the Sirius XM app included with all Sirius XM trials and popular plans. Just search Let's Go. Now for Matthew Stafford Max Crosby and Peter King, I'm Jim Gray. Thanks so much for joining us, we'll talk to you again next week. Tom Brady will join us right here on Let's Go on Sirius XM.
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
Matthew Stafford reflects on the emotional difficulty of a recent playoff loss, balancing disappointment with gratitude for his career and family.
He discusses using the experience as a teaching moment for his children, emphasizing resilience and perspective.
Stafford analyzes specific plays he could have improved, showing his competitive mindset and accountability.
He highlights supporting teammates, especially those like Xavier Smith and DeVante Adams, who are deeply affected by the loss.
Stafford expresses happiness for former teammate Cooper Kupp's success, despite the personal sting of losing to him.
He considers his future, noting that decisions about continuing to play will involve physical, mental, emotional, and family factors.
Stafford describes the adjustment from the all-consuming football season to the offseason, missing the structure but valuing time with family.
Summary:
In a post-game interview, quarterback Matthew Stafford processes a tough playoff loss. He acknowledges the emotional and physical toll, but focuses on gratitude for his 17-year career, his teammates, and his family. He shares a poignant moment comforting his crying daughter, using it to teach resilience—a lesson he also applies to himself.
Stafford reviews missed opportunities on the field, taking personal responsibility for plays that could have changed the outcome. He emphasizes team unity, supporting distraught teammates like Xavier Smith and expressing a particular desire to have won for veteran DeVante Adams. Despite the loss, he genuinely expresses happiness for the success of his close friend and former teammate, Cooper Kupp.
Looking ahead, Stafford states that any decision about his playing future will be a holistic one made with his family after taking time to reflect on the season. He discusses the transition from the regimented football schedule to the offseason, valuing the increased family time while missing the competitive grind.
FAQs
He acknowledges it's tough but focuses on gratitude for the opportunity to play and the people around him, emphasizing that sports teach valuable life lessons.
He uses moments like comforting his crying daughter to teach resilience, showing that family support helps put the game in perspective and highlights life's blessings.
He reflects on specific plays he could have executed better, such as missed third-down conversions or red-zone opportunities, which emotionally linger during the offseason.
He reassures them, like telling Xavier Smith to 'flush it' and emphasizing team unity, sharing that wins and losses are collective and his support remains unwavering.
He notes that success often comes down to small moments, like a single drive or play, and requires courage to compete and accept results, as seen in his Super Bowl experience.
He expresses happiness for Kupp as a friend and player, acknowledging the sting of losing but valuing relationships over rivalry, and wishes him continued success.
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