Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford couldn’t speak highly enough of the fan base that has supported him for 12 years.
From the moment he stepped into the new Ford Field for a playoff game against his former team, the 35-year-old veteran quarterback was booed and booed by Lions fans.
After being eliminated from the playoffs, Stafford gave a short answer when asked if the fans were happy with the city of Detroit, which witnessed its first playoff victory in 30 years.”I’m happy for the players. I’m happy for these guys,” Stafford said.
Stafford failed to recognize and understand why the fan base was rooting for Jared Goff as the Lions offense has been playing at a two-year high. “He’s their quarterback,” Stafford said. “He’s playing great. Today he led them to victory. I’m happy for him. I think he played very well today. He leads an offense that is playing very well right now and they should be proud of him.
“They should support him.”The circumstances of his departure from Motown probably played little role in his relationship with his fans.But Stafford’s biggest frustration came from a competitive standpoint, noting that Detroit was the “bad boy” in town a week before the season finale.
“This is a playoff game,” he said. “I’m not surprised that they support the team and I’m not too worried about the personal feelings of the people sitting in the stands in front of me.”
