USAT: Panthers Wire audio clip

USAT: Panthers Wire

Feb 14, 2022

Having Matthew Stafford wouldn’t have guaranteed the Carolina Panthers anything. But it would’ve certainly guaranteed a different ending to the 2021 season. - On Sunday night, the Los Angeles Rams closed out that season—with a thrilling 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. And they got there due, in huge part, to the quarterback they acquired last January. - That man, of course, was Stafford—who tossed for 283 yards and three touchdowns in the win. But the 13th-year veteran was one less push from a quarterback-needy team away from not hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night. In fact, he was close to perhaps finding himself on the completely opposite side of the spectrum. - As the story goes, the Rams swooped in on the Detroit Lions to nab Stafford away from the Panthers last winter. Now, there’s more available context to that consequential heist thanks to Jonathan Alexander of the Charlotte Observer. - According to Alexander, the Panthers and Lions had agreed upon a swap (Stafford for 2021’s eighth overall pick, a fifth-round pick and Teddy Bridgewater) at the Senior Bowl and had even begun trading medical information to seal it. - “The Panthers and Lions had verbally agreed on what it would take to get a deal done,” he wrote. “The Rams, however, later put up a package the Lions, who were beginning a rebuild, could not refuse.” - That package sent two first-rounders, a third-rounder and Jared Goff to the Lions. Carolina’s brass, who truly believed they were getting Stafford, would then find out about Los Angeles’ offer a few hours after hopping on their jet and exiting the premises. - Alexander even noted one Panthers source who wrapped up the failure in a big, fat depressing bow: “’We won. We had it,’ one Panthers source said. “’Then it went away.’” - If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it’s that it’s tough out in these streets—especially when you’re trying to find a quarterback. Football is a game of inches both on and (more figuratively) off the field and the entire game can change in one single moment. - A year and two weeks of moments later, the Panthers are looking up—way up at the top of the mountain where Stafford and the Rams now sit. - - RelatedPanthers CB Jaycee Horn starting his bid for 2022 Comeback Player of the YearCam Newton one of NFL's most unfazed QBs over the past decade - - List - - Panthers react to Super Bowl LVI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Panthers Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Panthers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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