Let it be known that Lions head coach Matt Patricia’s infatuation with starting QB Matthew Stafford is still in full effect. A season ended halfway through with Stafford suffering broken vertebrae in his back has done nothing to curb Patricia’s enthusiasm for No. 9.
Patricia once again spoke highly of Stafford in his Zoom teleconference on Friday. When asked about what he’s seen from Stafford and expects of the longtime franchise QB, Patricia offered up this response,
“He’s certainly – I knew probably in the spring sometime that he tells me, ‘Hey, I’m good coach. There’s no issue whatsoever.’ I’m good with that. He knows his body, his arm, all that better than anybody and nobody works harder. This guy loves football. I love it when he calls me and says, ‘Hey, I’m going to go throw this or work this out. I’m going to go grab these guys and do this.’ Almost like that football junkie mentality – I mean, you just love it. You just love his passion and grind for the game. We’ll be ready to go. I would just like to get out to practice, that’s kind of the first part.”
This continues the unwavering support Patricia and the whole Lions organization has shown in Stafford, both publicly and privately. Remember that when those random, unsourced trade rumors inevitably sprout up…