Sunday’s game is a big one for the Los Angeles Rams, who are 3-4 and in danger of slipping to 3-5 against a good Dallas Cowboys team that’s coming off its bye. It’s also a little bit more special for Matthew Stafford, who will be playing close to home this weekend.
Stafford grew up in the Dallas area and attended Highland Park High School, which is just outside downtown. Naturally, he grew up rooting for the Cowboys, as many of his friends did, being so close to the city in which they played.
“I did, yeah. We moved there when I was about three or four, so it was kind of right in the prime when they were ‘92 to ‘95 doing their thing and really for a while thereafter,” he said of growing up a Cowboys fan. “But yeah, grew up a Cowboys fan going to games and loved being a part of that and watching it.”
He still has fond memories of watching the Cowboys as a kid, particularly in the Troy Aikman era when Dallas was having so much success. But he remembers watching them play beyond just that dynasty period, too.
“Yeah, Aikman, all those guys. Quincy (Carter), (Tony) Romo there for a while but yeah, definitely. Watching Aikman play, that was as good of a balanced offense as there was back in the day, big, powerful offensive line,” he recalled. “I just think of John Madden and Pat Summerall calling those games. Madden circling Nate Newton and then Nate Newton moving somebody in the run game or Eric Williams jumping offsides or, I don’t know, something like that. And then (Michael) Irvin, Alvin Harper, (Jay) Novacek. I was a huge fan growing up. Knew all those guys both offensively and defensively. It was fun to watch and go to those games.”
Sunday will be Stafford’s fifth career game against the Cowboys in Dallas, going 1-3 in his first four trips back home. He’s not treating it any differently than a typical game, but he is looking forward to the challenge of facing a tough Cowboys squad.
“I don’t know. They’re all football games and enjoy playing in every single one of them. Every time I go there, I feel like it’s a really unique challenge. Obviously, a really good football team every time we’ve gone down there, no different. This season they’re playing at a high level both on offense and defense so it’ll be a big challenge for us. But, no, I don’t think so. I think just excited for the opportunity.”
Last week, Aaron Donald admitted he was still a Steelers fan and always checks to see how they’re doing each season, but Stafford doesn’t share that same sentiment about his childhood team.
When asked if he’s still a Cowboys fan, he said very simply, “no.” As for when he stopped being a fan of other teams, he thinks that occurred when he made it to the NFL.
“I don’t know. That’s a good question. Probably just when I got into the NFL. I was really only a fan of the team that I was playing on, and maybe if I had a buddy or something on another team, I was pulling for him as long as we weren’t playing them. But I don’t pull for them anymore. I still have family members that love watching the Cowboys play and all that kind of stuff which I totally understand, but kind of got my own thing going on, worried a little bit more about that.”
The only time Stafford has beaten the Cowboys in Dallas was in his first start there way back in 2011, a 34-30 win where he had 240 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He’ll try to make it two wins back home when the Rams visit the Cowboys on Sunday.