The biggest game of the NFL season, the Superbowl, consisted of a matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams this year on February 13th, when the Rams defeated the Bengals in a 23-20 victory. Since then, many debates relating to the two teams have been spreading heavily.

One major topic that many have been discussing is whether or not Matthew Stafford, the starting quarterback for the Rams, is worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame this far into his career. I wouldn’t say he’s at that level yet, but he isn’t too far off.

Stafford was the quarterback responsible for the two best seasons by wide receivers ever, held by Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp. This, on top of the fact that he is now a Superbowl champion, are two big arguments that someone may make as to why Stafford will be in the Hall of Fame.

To be inducted into the hall of fame, I believe a player must hold more accolades. This would include being voted for the Pro Bowl multiple times, being voted as the MVP of the league at least once, etc. Stafford does not meet these criteria. The fact that he has never had an MVP vote is a major flaw in his consideration for the Hall of Fame, and I think it’s a necessity for any quarterback.

Buccaneers cornerback Richard Sherman has recently made a statement on this topic as well. “The HOF bar is incredibly low now. Like a participation trophy,” said Sherman via Twitter. Sherman believes that the standard should be raised regarding who gets into the Hall of Fame. I agree with this, and as stated previously, a Hall of Famer would have received awards such as MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, etc., at least once in their career, which Stafford lacks.

Stafford has never won the MVP award, and he has only been voted into the Pro Bowl once in his career. He was never necessarily considered the best quarterback in any season he has played, according to statistics. Although I think he has had some great seasons, there have always been better quarterbacks in the league, which shouldn’t be the case if he wants to be a Hall of Famer.

Matt Stafford has accomplished a lot in his career such as leading the league in passing yards for multiple seasons, but I believe he has yet to prove that he is worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Stafford has never won an MVP which is a major accolade that he lacks, and he cannot be considered a Hall of Famer without it.