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Matthew Stafford received plenty of comparisons to Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, thanks to his no-look pass. While Mahomes and the Lions quarterback are two of the top several current leaders in the "crazy pass" conversation in the NFL, one high school quarterback is dominating the conversation outside of the league.
SportsCenter's official Twitter page posted a video (originally recorded by Phillips QB academy) of a student throwing a pass behind his back to a receiver roughly 30 yards down the field on the sideline. The Rams wide receiver saw the clip and quote-tweeted it, poking fun at Matthew Stafford in the process.
"Kids picking up bad habits from Matthew <crying face emoji>"
The joke references the pattern of influence on future NFL prospects over the decades. Basically, kids see players pull off tricks on television. In their own free time, they attempt to perfect or build on what they saw on television, partly to help stand out to coaches and scouts and partly just for fun. Over time, the tricks find their way to the NFL, where kids watch and begin the cycle again.
In Kupp's mind, kids practicing no-look and behind-the-back passes are simply a distraction. Basically, he is saying that kids have seen some of Stafford's passes and worked on adding them to their game to their detriment (at least, in the eyes of Kupp).
Matthew Stafford's legacy-changing trade
Before landing in Los Angeles, the quarterback was a 12-year veteran of the Detroit Lions. Before the trade, the quarterback was seen by many as Aaron Rodgers' little brother. The Packers quarterback saw all of the fame and glory while Stafford had to sit back and watch.
However, the trade to Los Angeles eventually flipped that narrative on its head. At the end of the season, the former Lions quarterback now has as many Super Bowl victories as Aaron Rodgers. While many still see the Packers quarterback as the more talented regular-season quarterback, the Rams quarterback now has a defense against assumptions that Rodgers automatically trumps Stafford.
In 2021, the Rams quarterback threw for 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Meanwhile, Rodgers threw for 37 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Packers quarterback made the divisional round, and the Rams quarterback won the Super Bowl.
Most agree that both quarterbacks also need to credit their top wide receivers for routinely getting open. Davante Adams caught 123 passes for 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Cooper Kupp caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
