Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew was quoted today saying that “If (the Lions) had 22 Matthew Staffords, we’d win a championship every single year” today during his media availability in London.
I know that’s not literally what Martin Mayhew meant, but lets examine the some of the realities of what a starting lineup of 22 Matthew Staffords might look like.
Salary Structure
Well you do need 53 guys to complete a football roster, but if you just have 22 Matthew Staffords you’re already 245 percent over the salary cap with 31 players needed to complete the roster.
| Player | Base Salary | Signing Bonus | Cap Hit |
| Matthew Stafford | $17,000,000 | $5,500,000 | $22,500,000 |
| 22 Matt Staffords | $374,000,000 | $121,000,000 | $495,000,000 |
| 2015 NFL Salary Cap | – | – | $143,280,000 |
| Over the Cap | – | – | -$351,720,000 |
| – | – | 345% | |
| Salary Remaining for 31 other Players | -$351,720,000 | ||
Size Disadvantage
Calculated by SprayberryFootball.com in 2011, the average offensive lineman is six feet, four inches tall and weighs 300 pounds. Matthew Stafford is six feet, three inches and 226 pounds. If five Matt Staffords had to block for Matt Stafford, Matt Stafford would be dead.
Here is how he’d compare physically against the prototypes at several positions:
| Position | Height | Weight | Position | Height | Weight | |
| Offensive Line | 76″ | 300 lbs | Defensive Tackle | 74″ | 295 lbs | |
| Matt Stafford | 75″ | 226 lbs | Matt Stafford | 75″ | 226 lbs | |
| Difference | 1″ | 74 lbs | Difference | -1″ | 69 lbs | |
| Position | Height | Weight | Position | Height | Weight | |
| Tight End | 75″ | 250 lbs | Defensive End | 75″ | 255 lbs | |
| Matt Stafford | 75″ | 226 lbs | Matt Stafford | 75″ | 226 lbs | |
| Difference | 0 | 24 lbs | Difference | 0 | 29 lbs | |
Speed Shortage:
Matthew Stafford ran a 4.81 second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2009. I guarantee with the amount of hits he’s taken and pounds he’s gained, that he doesn’t run that fast of a 40-yard dash anymore. But since it is the last recorded time we have, we’ll have to use it for comparisons sake.
Just how much slower will the Matthew Staffords be compared to the skill position players they’d be compared to:
| Position | 40-YD | Position | 40-YD | |
| Running Back | 4.58 | Linebacker | 4.70 | |
| Matt Stafford | 4.81 | Matt Stafford | 4.81 | |
| Difference | -0.23 | Difference | -0.11 | |
| Position | 40-YD | Position | 40-YD | |
| Wide Receiver | 4.50 | Defensive Back | 4.50 | |
| Matt Stafford | 4.81 | Matt Stafford | 4.81 | |
| Difference | -0.31 | Difference | -0.31 | |
Yeah, it wouldn’t even be fair.
Summary
Let’s not forget that they team of Staffords doesn’t have any specialists to punt, kick, or long snap the ball, which means they would always go for it on fourth down, regardless of the amount of yardage needed.
This team wouldn’t be winning championships every year regardless of what Martin Mayhew said or meant. It would be having their franchise contracted for being an embarrassment to football.
Maybe the Detroit Lions should lose their franchise for that exact same reason.
