Stephen A. Smith wants to drain the swamp.
No, he’s not talking about Washington, D.C., and perhaps his potential aspirations to become the next President of the United States. Instead, the New York football Giants drew the ire of First Take star, as he likened their home in the Meadowlands to that of a “swamp.”
Just as LeSean McCoy can’t fathom seeing Jimmy Garoppolo under center in Los Angeles, Smith can’t stomach the idea of Matthew Stafford landing in East Rutherford.
“Why the hell would you depart from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California to go play for the New York Giants, other than money?” 😅
—@stephenasmith on Matthew Stafford’s future with the Rams 👀 pic.twitter.com/nRyYwoXz1U
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 26, 2025
“Can we please get the moribund, the pathetic, the modern definition of football purgatory that is the New York Giants, out the damn conversation?” Smith said, as covered by Mediaite.”You’re Matthew Stafford, OK? The only reason you would go to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to play in the swamp — and yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is a swamp. I drive by it all the time. It’s a swamp. The stench hits you. Why the hell would you depart from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, to go play for the New York Giants, other than money? Let’s get that out the way.”
There’s plenty of other fish in the sea — including Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders.
“There’s plenty other teams that should be looking at Matthew Stafford, who’s still a top-10 quarterback in the National Football League,” Smith adds. “By the way, a 5-2 record in the postseason with the Rams — which includes a Super Bowl title — 15 touchdowns, three interceptions. Oh, by the way, the only person that had more game-winning drives, comeback victories, last season… was Patrick Mahomes.
“This is who Matthew Stafford is; the brother’s a stud. Now, let’s get down to the brass tax of it all. Here’s the deal, y’all; I’m gonna give you some names. These are the quarterbacks that are getting paid more than Matthew Stafford right now. Matthew Stafford’s scheduled to make $27 million, OK? Dak Prescott is at $60. Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow and Jordan Love are at $55 million. Tua Tagovailoa and Jared Goff are at $53 million. Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson are at $52 million… and Jalen Hurts is at $51.”
He’s Matthew Stafford. And Smith gets it — he understands exactly where the Rams and Sean McVay are coming from.
But he also doesn’t.
“I get that,” Smith says. “Figure it out!!! Figure it out!!! Because when I watched the playoffs this year, the Los Angeles Rams were the only team that gave the Eagles a real run for their money, OK? And Matthew Stafford had a lot to do with that. The brother’s a top-10 quarterback.”
And top-10 quarterbacks shouldn’t play in swamps, apparently.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.