Matthew Stafford Salty, Snubs Lions Fans

Matthew Stafford has brief response to question about Lions fans.

On Sunday night, former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was not in the mood to talk glowingly about the fanbase that cheered him on for 12 years. 

From the moment he stepped foot on the new turf at Ford Field for a playoff matchup against his former team, the 35-year-old veteran quarterback was booed and jeered by Lions supporters. 

After being eliminated from the playoffs, Stafford had a brief response when asked if he was happy for the city of Detroit witnessing a playoff victory for the first time in three decades.  

“I’m happy for the players. Happy for those guys," Stafford said. 

Stafford did not acknowledge the fanbase, but understood why the fans were supportive of Jared Goff. Under the leadership of Goff, the Lions' offense has been playing at a high level for two years now. 

“He’s their quarterback," Stafford said. "He’s playing great. He led them to a win today. I’m happy for him. I thought he played excellent today. He’s leading an offense that’s playing at a really good clip right now, and they should be proud of him. They should be cheering for him.”

Rams HC Sean McVay said he was happy for his ex-QB Jared Goff. I asked Matthew Stafford if he's happy for the city of Detroit, seeing as how he played his first 12 seasons here: "I'm happy for the players." pic.twitter.com/K738IcmkyD

— Kory E. Woods (@KoryEWoods) January 15, 2024

The circumstances regarding his departure from Motown likely played a small part in the fans' treatment of him.

But, the biggest reason Stafford was booed was from a competitive standpoint, which he understood. In the week leading up to the game, he noted he was the "bad guy" coming to town trying to end Detroit's season.

“It’s a playoff game," he said. "I’m not surprised that they were excited about cheering for their team, and I’m not too worried about anybody’s personal feelings towards me that was sitting in the stands.”