Matthew Stafford - Pro Football Rumors

Lions Place Matthew Stafford On IR

December 17th, 2019 at 3:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have placed Matthew Stafford on IR. With that, the quarterback’s season is officially over.

Stafford started 136 consecutive games before missing Detroit’s Week 10 contest again the Bears in November. In eight starts, the 31-year-old Stafford threw for nearly 2,500 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions while ranking eighth in ESPN’s Total Quarterback Rating.

Meanwhile, the Lions have sagged to a 3-10-1 record. There was little sense in jeopardizing Stafford’s health in the final games of the season, so the move to IR was widely expected, even as Stafford pushed for a return.

“Because this is what I do,” Stafford said in November, when asked why he wants to play this year. “I understand your question, but this is what I love to do. I love playing football. I appreciate all the hard work that all the guys in this locker room and in this organization put into going out there and trying to win games on Sunday and I love being a part of that.”

“It’s tough for me to sit there without the pads on and not be able to impact the game on the field the way I’m used to doing,” Stafford said. “That’s driving me to get back out there, and whenever we all deem it’s the right time for me to get back out there, I’ll be out there.”

Stafford will be back out there in 2020, when he continues on his five-year, $135MM deal with the Lions. Stafford is tied to the club through 2022 and will count for a $31.5MM cap figure next season.

Extra Points: Ebron, Lions, Renfrow

December 7th, 2019 at 9:41pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Eric Ebron story took another twist this week, as his camp responded to the recent reports of disconnect between the tight end and the Colts. Soon after Ebron was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury, we heard that the Colts weren’t too happy with how everything played out. Indy’s head coach Frank Reich seemed to dispute Ebron’s account that the team was well-aware of his ankle issue, and said he had no idea anything was wrong. Ebron’s camp is now pushing back, with a source close to the UNC product telling Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that Reich “should not have been surprised” (Twitter link).

The source added that Ebron informed the Colts of his ankle issue prior to the season, and that he “took toradol shots for the injury before almost every game he played.” The implication from Indianapolis seemed to be that Ebron was essentially choosing to save himself for his impending free agency, and his camp obviously isn’t pleased with that narrative. As Stephen Holder of The Athletic summarizes in a tweet, this means that Reich is either “blatantly lying when he said he was blind sided,” or Ebron “was able to practice most of the season on a terribly painful ankle.” It’ll be interesting to see if this under the radar controversy impacts Ebron’s market this spring. The tenth overall pick of the 2014 draft had a huge first year in Indy, but had been a bit of a disappointment this season before going on IR. Given the sudden animosity between the two sides, it seems likely that he isn’t back with the Colts in 2020.

Here’s more from around the league on a quiet Saturday night:

It doesn’t look like Matthew Stafford is going to play for the Lions again in 2019, so his back injury is obviously legitimate. However, the league has taken issue with how Detroit went about reporting it. Stafford was a surprise scratch late in the week leading up to the team’s game against the Bears back on November 10th, and the league has determined the team was trying to gain a competitive advantage by being coy with the info. The league office has fined the organization $75K, head coach Matt Patricia $25K, and GM Bob Quinn $10K, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
When Raiders rookie receiver Hunter Renfrow went down with a rib injury and a punctured lung a couple of weeks ago, it initially looked like he’d miss the rest of the season. However, that might not be the case, per Scott Bair of NBC Sports. Renfrow hasn’t been placed on IR, and the team is holding out hope he’ll be able to return toward the end of the year. “We’re hopeful that he could return for the last game or two,” Oakland head coach Jon Gruden said, per Bair. Renfrow had really started to heat up before going down, so he would provide a big boost. The Raiders have gotten blown out in two straight games, but are still right in the thick of a very muddled AFC wildcard race at 6-6. Whether or not they’re still in the hunt for a playoff spot in the final week or two will likely determine whether or not they bring the Clemson product back.

Lions QB David Blough Expected To Start Thursday

November 27th, 2019 at 6:54pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Lions quarterback David Blough is expected to make his first career start tomorrow in place of Jeff Driskel, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Driskel is not expected to be able to play through a hamstring injury that’s been causing him problems.

Blough will be the third different player to start under center for the Lions. Driskel stepped in for franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford when he went down with an injury of his own. The Lions do not have another quarterback on their roster, which means tight end (and collegiate quarterback) Logan Thomas will serve as the team’s emergency backup.

An undrafted free agent out of Purdue, Blough, originally signed with the Browns. However, as roster cuts approached, the Lions agreed to swap conditional draft picks in exchange for the rookie signalcaller. Unlike Driskel, Blough is not a mobile quarterback (he ran a 4.9 40-yard dash during the draft process), and will have to rely on his skills as a pocket passer to take down the Bears.

In his first career start, Blough will be going up against one of the better defenses in football (Bears) on one of the biggest stages of the year (Thanksgiving). The pressure and bright lights will be on and he will get a chance to make an impression.

Matthew Stafford Wants To Return This Season

November 21st, 2019 at 7:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although reports on Sunday indicated Matthew Stafford could miss six more weeks while dealing with fractured bones in his back, the veteran Lions quarterback says he’d still like to return this season, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

“Because this is what I do,” Stafford said when asked why he wants to play this year. “I understand your question, but this is what I love to do. I love playing football. I appreciate all the hard work that all the guys in this locker room and in this organization put into going out there and trying to win games on Sunday and I love being a part of that.”

“It’s tough for me to sit there without the pads on and not be able to impact the game on the field the way I’m used to doing,” Stafford said. “That’s driving me to get back out there, and whenever we all deem it’s the right time for me to get back out there, I’ll be out there.”

Depending on how his recovery goes, Stafford could potentially be available for a game or two at the end of the regular season. Sitting at 3-6-1 and last place in the NFC North, Detroit has less than a 1% chance of earning a playoff berth, per FiveThirtyEight.com, so it seems unlikely the Lions’ decision-makers would allow Stafford to return to the field with nothing on the line.

Stafford had started 136 consecutive games before missing Detroit’s Week 10 contest again the Bears earlier this month. Through eight starts, the 31-year-old Stafford had thrown for nearly 2,500 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions while ranking eighth in ESPN’s Total Quarterback Rating.

Matthew Stafford Could Miss Six Weeks

November 17th, 2019 at 11:10am CST by Rory Parks

Lions QB Matthew Stafford has fractured bones in his back, and as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, the injury could keep Stafford sidelined for six more weeks.

Schefter says Stafford will not necessarily miss the next six games, but the fact that it’s a six-week injury underscores just how much pain Stafford was playing through before team doctors shut him down for last week’s game against the Bears. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also hears that the 2009 No. 1 overall pick could miss an additional six games, though the plan is for him to have another scan this week to get a more accurate timeline. Per Rapoport, there is a chance Stafford could return for next week’s matchup against the Redskins, but that doesn’t sound particularly likely.

What neither Schefter nor Rapoport say is that the Lions could choose to keep Stafford sidelined for the rest of the year if Detroit’s playoff hopes continue to fade. The Lions are currently 3-5-1 and are in last place in the NFC North, so even with a healthy Stafford, the club would be a longshot to qualify for the postseason. Assuming Detroit can’t make up any ground with Jeff Driskel under center, the team would be wise to not jeopardize Stafford’s long-term health for no reason.

Of course, head coach Matt Patricia could be on the hot seat, so he doubtlessly wants Stafford to return as quickly as possible. But considering how well Stafford has played this year even with the injury, preserving him for 2020 may be in the team’s best interests.

North Notes: Steelers, Burnett, Lions

November 14th, 2019 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

If you’ve missed the latest Thursday-night game, injuries have limited the Steelers. Pittsburgh lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner; the former suffered a concussion and the latter re-injured the AC joint that sidelined him for the past two games. Both are out for the rest of the Browns game, as are cornerback Artie Burns and wideout Diontae Johnson (due to a knee injury and a concussion, respectively). This is Smith-Schuster’s third known concussion since coming into the league. He suffered two as a rookie in 2017.

Here is the latest from the North divisions:

Both of the Browns‘ starting safeties are out of tonight’s game. Shortly before Damarious Randall was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit, the Browns lost Morgan Burnett. The ex-Packers and Steelers defender suffered what the Browns fear is a significant Achilles injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). After being relegated to a part-time role in his one Pittsburgh season, Burnett has been a full-time starter in Cleveland.
The NFL is looking into the Lions‘ handling of Matthew Stafford‘s back injury, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com notes. Multiple Lions players were informed Saturday that Stafford would not play, but Detroit had called the quarterback a game-time decision. Stafford has been playing through back pain all season. The league requires teams to update their injury reports if it has been decided, prior to a team’s stadium arrival, a player will not play.
With Michael Pierce battling an injury, the Ravens bolstered their defensive tackle corps with two veterans — Domata Peko and Justin Ellis.

Matthew Stafford Has Fractured Bones In Back

November 10th, 2019 at 8:26am CST by Sam Robinson

NOV. 10: Stafford has fractured bones in his back, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. As such, doctors will not allow him to play in the team’s contest against the Bears on Sunday. Stafford’s streak of 136 consecutive starts will come to an end, and Schefter says he could miss up to three weeks.

NOV. 9: After some early-career injury issues, Matthew Stafford has been one of the NFL’s most durable players. The Lions quarterback has not missed a start since the 2010 season. That streak is suddenly in jeopardy.

On Detroit’s injury report with hip and back trouble, Stafford is shaping up as a true game-time decision. The Lions are concerned about their 11th-year passer’s availability for Sunday’s Bears game, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Stafford has appeared on the Lions’ injury report earlier this season but has taken every snap. Should Stafford be unable to go, the Lions are thin at backup quarterback. Jeff Driskel, who signed with the team earlier this season, joins rookie UDFA David Blough as the other quarterbacks on the Lions’ 53-man roster.

The Lions enter Sunday’s Chicago tilt at 3-4-1 and would certainly be major underdogs if Stafford is unable to go. Stafford did get in three limited practices this week. Considering his history, that’s a good sign for his availability for this NFC North matchup.

The 2009 No. 1 overall pick has started 136 straight games. He’s played well this season, rating seventh in Total QBR and having thrown 19 touchdown passes compared to five interceptions. Driskel last suited up for the Bengals in 2018, making five starts for an injured Andy Dalton. Blough was a multiyear starter at Purdue.

Injury Roundup: Hilton, Lions, Bolts, Rams

September 27th, 2019 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

It’s looking like the Colts‘ passing attack will have to operate without its top weapon Sunday. T.Y. Hilton drew a doubtful designation on Indianapolis’ Friday injury report. He did not practice all week. The eighth-year wideout left the Colts’ Week 3 win with a quadriceps injury, and although the Raiders enter Week 4 ranked 30th in pass defense DVOA, the Colts went 0-2 without Hilton last season. They are already down previous starter Devin Funchess, who sits on IR. The Colts also ruled Darius Leonard out for a second straight week. The All-Pro linebacker remains in concussion protocol.

Here is the latest from the Week 4 injury front:

Matthew Stafford popped up on the Lions‘ injury report Friday; he’s listed as questionable with a hip malady. While Stafford should be expected to play, given that he’s played through injuries in recent years and holds the league’s third-longest active start streak among QBs with 131, this is a less-than-ideal scenario going into a key inter-conference matchup with the Chiefs. Rookie UDFA David Blough has been Stafford’s backup this season, though Jeff Driskel is now on Detroit’s 53-man roster.
That matchup will not include Chiefs starting running back Damien Williams, who will miss a second straight game with a knee ailment. LeSean McCoy put together two full practices this week and will likely team up with Darrel Williams, as he did last week, in Detroit.
Good news for the Rams‘ offense. Sean McVay said both Austin Blythe and Tyler Higbee will be available against the Buccaneers on Sunday, per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Blythe missed Los Angeles’ Week 3 game with a sprained ankle, while Higbee has been sidelined with a lung contusion.
Another Chargers game will unfold without their primary kicker option. The Bolts ruled out Michael Badgley for a fourth straight contest. Punter Ty Long‘s multipurpose afternoons will continue. Long made both of his field goal tries last week after missing two in Week 2.
Additionally for the Bolts, they will be without Mike Williams. He’s been declared out with a back injury. Travis Benjamin will head to Miami as doubtful to play, meaning Dontrelle Inman and Geremy Davis stand as the Chargers’ only two healthy auxiliary wideouts. This marks Williams’ second injury of the season. A knee problem plagued the third-year target earlier this month but did not force him to miss any time.
The Vikings‘ No. 2-ranked rushing attack will be tested in Chicago this week, and right guard starter Josh Kline will not play a part in the NFC North contest. The free agent acquisition will miss Sunday’s game with a concussion that kept him out of practice this week. This will end Kline’s 49-start streak. Veteran Dakota Dozier will start, per Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Dozier has started eight games in his six-season career, which included a Week 2 start in place of Pat Elflein.

Dolphins Tried To Acquire Matthew Stafford

March 26th, 2019 at 1:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins tried to trade for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford before the start of the 2018 season, multiple league sources tell Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The talks did not progress to the point where the Dolphins were asked about what they’d give up, but it’s an indication that the Dolphins were thinking about moving on from Ryan Tannehill earlier than anyone thought.

Former head coach Adam Gase, Salguero hears, reached out personally to Lions coach Matt Patricia to orchestrate a deal. The belief is that Gase would have offered at minimum Miami’s 2018 first-round pick and probably more. Patricia, however, said he was unwilling to move on from Stafford.

Leading up to the 2018 season, Tannehill missed 20 straight games with a knee injury. But, until word of the Stafford discussions, it was believed that the Dolphins were only looking at QB options in the draft. Ultimately, the Dolphins did not move on a QB class that included Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Josh Allen. Instead, they stood pat at No. 11 overall and selected defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The Fins did not land Stafford, obviously, but they’ve overhauled the QB room nonetheless. Tannehill was shipped to the Titans earlier this month and Ryan Fitzpatrick is now set to start under center in South Beach.

Lions Willing To Draft QB In First Round?

February 12th, 2019 at 5:26pm CST by Rory Parks

Matthew Stafford was not particularly good in 2018, as he threw for fewer than 4,000 yards for the first time since an injury-shortened 2010 campaign, and he tossed just 21 TDs against 11 interceptions. His pedestrian numbers, when coupled with the Lions’ disappointing 2018 season, have led to plenty of speculation that Detroit could be looking for a new QB sooner rather than later.

As we detailed in late December, Stafford’s contract situation makes cutting or trading him this offseason a dubious proposition at best. But he did just turn 31, and while he has put together some nice statistical seasons, he has not guided his team to a single playoff win in his 10 seasons under center. The blame for the Lions’ playoff shortcomings by no means falls squarely on Stafford’s shoulders, but as a quarterback with a $135MM contract to his name, he is subject to some scrutiny.

The odds are that the Lions will retain Stafford for at least one more season, especially now that they have a new offensive coordinator in Darrell Bevell. But GM Bob Quinn said yesterday that he is open to drafting a quarterback with the No. 8 overall selection in this year’s draft, even if Stafford will almost certainly be on the roster at that point (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com).

Quinn said, “We’ll consider any position in the draft at any point in time, whether it’s the eighth overall pick or we have multiple picks later in the draft. We’re in a position now with the eighth overall pick that the whole draft board is really wide open to us. We’re not going to really eliminate any prospects.”

Of course, no general manager is going to explicitly rule out a position or player in advance of the draft and needlessly give away a competitive advantage, no matter how slight. On the other hand, it is interesting that Quinn’s statement comes just a few weeks after Quinn said Stafford was, and would continue to be, the Lions’ quarterback.

Although this year’s class of rookie QBs is considered to be weak relative to the 2018 group, it did get an injection of intriguing talent yesterday, when Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray announced his intention to pursue an NFL career. Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins is viewed as 2019’s other top collegiate signal-caller, and either player could be available when the Lions are on the clock in the first round. Haskins and Murray have decidedly different styles than Stafford, but both would benefit from his tutelage and from serving as his backup in 2019.

Matthew Stafford News & Rumors