Rams’ trade for Matthew Stafford pays off with Super Bowl win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Rams’ game-winning drive in the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium started last offseason.

With an elite quarterback about the only glaring hole on an otherwise championship-level roster, the Rams traded for the Lions’ Matthew Stafford for situations such as Sunday’s against the Bengals.

Stafford made the decision pay off by leading a drive that brought the franchise a Lombardi Trophy for the first time since it moved to Los Angeles.

“You put the ball in your best players’ hands when it matters the most, and that’s what we did with Matthew, and he delivered in a big way,” coach Sean McVay said after the 23-20 victory. “Now he’s a world champ.”

It was the third straight postseason game in which Stafford led a game-winning drive in the final two minutes and the 36th time in his career that he has led a fourth-quarter comeback. He has engineered 45 game-winning drives, but had played in only three postseason games in 12 years with Detroit and was 0-3.

The 34-year-old wasn’t about to let this opportunity get away.

“Just so happy to be able to celebrate this with such great teammates and my family,” he said. “So proud of this group.”

The final drive began with a 9-yard completion to tight end Brycen Hopkins. After two plays failed to pick up a yard, Stafford handed to Cooper Kupp on an end-around to pick up a first down.

Two plays later, Stafford found Kupp for 8 yards, then got a first down on the next play with another throw to Hopkins.

After a throw to Cam Akers netted 3 yards, Stafford had one of his best throws of the day when he looked off a safety and zipped a throw down the middle for a 22-yard gain to Kupp. A pass to Kupp and a run by Akers both picked up 8 yards on the next two plays and brought the game to the two-minute warning with the Rams in a first-and-goal at the 8-yard line.

Several penalties on the next few plays made the ending of the drive a bit disjointed, but Stafford restored order by finding his best weapon.

He lofted a pass over cornerback Eli Apple and dropped it right into the hands of Kupp to give the Rams the lead with 1:29 left.

“It was a special drive,” Stafford said. “One I’ll never forget. So many great plays by so many great players. Just so happy to get it done. I’m speechless.”

Stafford did take one more snap, but it was a kneel-down after the Rams stopped the Bengals on downs with 39 seconds left.

Then it was time to finally lift the trophy.

“It’s going to take some time,” Stafford said of the immediate emotions. “I have to think about it. In the moment, I was just emotional and didn’t know what to think. I’m just so happy to be a world champ and a part of this group.”

While Stafford endured many disappointing seasons with the Lions, he pointed out he wasn’t the only Rams player who has been grinding away for years without winning a title.

“It’s a long time coming for a lot of guys,” he said, naming Andrew Whitworth, Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald, among others. “So many guys I can name that deserve this for the way they go to work every day.”

Stafford finished 26-for-40 for 283 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions.

His game-winning throw to Kupp was his 50th touchdown pass of the season. He’s the ninth player to reach that total and joins Tom Brady as the only ones to do it and win the Super Bowl in the same season. Brady did it last season.

Both were in their first season with a new team. But Stafford still had a lot of support from Lions fans.

“It was amazing,” he said. “There’s no reason for them to cheer for me anymore, and the fact that they did was just a true testament to who they are as people and who they are as fans.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.