Ndamukong Suh’s recent Facebook post sheds light on a long-standing frustration that many NFL defensive players share: being undervalued compared to quarterbacks, even when their impact on the field is undeniable. Suh, a former No. 2 overall pick and cornerstone of the Detroit Lions’ defense, believes he was shortchanged in comparison to Matthew Stafford, the team’s quarterback during his tenure.
“Detroit, in my opinion, when I first came out, really gave me the short end of the stick,” Suh wrote. “I should have been paid more than Matthew Stafford. They didn’t value me enough, to say, ‘Hey, you’re not going to get paid more than our quarterback.’”
While quarterbacks often command the highest salaries due to their leadership role and statistical visibility, Suh’s frustration is rooted in the idea that true team success depends on elite play on both sides of the ball. In his early years, Suh was not only a dominant force on the defensive line but also a cultural tone-setter for the Lions. His performance helped elevate a struggling franchise, and his market value was arguably on par with — or greater than — Stafford’s at the time.
Suh’s candid post is a reminder of how internal team politics and positional bias can influence contract decisions. His comments raise broader questions about how NFL franchises assess value and whether defensive superstars are given their due in an offense-driven league.
\#NFL #DetroitLions #NdamukongSuh #PlayerValue #ContractFairness
Leave a Reply