NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky’s latest take on Matthew Stafford has sparked plenty of debate among NFL fans, and one of the strongest reactions came from a familiar face at ESPN. Damien Woody, the former New England Patriots offensive lineman, who spent 15 years as an ESPN analyst before the network chose not to renew his contract in August, responded directly to Orlovsky on X.

Awful Announcing posted a video of Orlovsky’s remarks on X. In reply to the post, Damien Woody wrote: “Love you, bud, but cmon Dan….”

Orlovsky made the argument on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday while discussing Aaron Donald’s decision to return to the Los Angeles Rams. But while discussing what Donald’s return could mean for Stafford, Orlovsky made a bold prediction about the quarterback’s place in NFL history.

“Think about the impact that this move can not only have on Aaron Donald, but other people’s legacies. Matthew Stafford gets another one; he has an MVP in his back pocket; he becomes a top-five, top-seven quarterback of all-time conversation,” Orlovsky said.

Many believe that Orlovsky is always hyping up Stafford because of a personal bias. That can be owed to the fact that Orlovsky backed up Stafford in Detroit from 2014 to 2016, a connection that has fueled accusations of favoritism. In fact, Richard Sherman has gone as far as branding Orlovsky an unashamed “homer” when it comes to Stafford.

Orlovsky has previously been open about his personal connection to Stafford, whom he considers a close friend and former teammate. During an earlier discussion, Orlovsky acknowledged that his loyalty to Stafford could influence how he views the quarterback.

“Matthew Stafford is my brother. He is my teammate. I would rather be wrong than to turn my back on Matthew Stafford,” Orlovsky said.

After his recent comments, Critics were quick to point to precedent that legends like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and Peyton Manning all racked up multiple First-Team All-Pro nods over their careers. Stafford, by contrast, picked up his first-ever selection in 2025, a résumé line they think hardly puts him anywhere near top-5 territory.

Still, none of the noise changes where things stand. Stafford is fresh off a career-defining year in LA, and Polymarket has the Rams sitting at 16% to win it all in 2026, numbers that very well suggest another ring could be well within reach.

Stafford threw for 4,707 yards and 46 passing touchdowns in 2025 and was voted the AP NFL MVP. The season also brought him his first first-team All-Pro selection, while the Rams went 12-5 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game.

It has been quite a turnaround for Stafford since his move from Detroit to Los Angeles in 2021. He won the Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams, and five years later he added the MVP award to his résumé. Now 38, Stafford is heading into his 18th NFL season with another opportunity to add to that legacy.

That said, Woody and Orlovsky also have some history when it comes to quarterback rankings. In 2024, Orlovsky had already put Stafford in his top five NFC quarterbacks. Woody challenged that ranking when they discussed it on Get Up, particularly Orlovsky’s decision to leave Dak Prescott off the list.