WATCH: Rams QB Matthew Stafford gets MASSIVELY booed on his return to Detroit to face the Lions in wild card

Matthew Stafford got ‘some’ home welcoming(Via Imago/X)

A section of the fans attending Ford Field on Sunday night did not want to hear their former quarterback, Matthew Stafford, being booed. But that wasn’t the case after all.

The Detroit Lions traded the veteran quarterback to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Even though he has faced Detroit once before, that was in LA. The 2023 Wild Card round would have been the first time Stafford set foot in Ford Field since his move.

Sean McVay‘s side was nowhere near qualifying for the playoffs, as they had only won five of their first 11 games of the 2023 season. But they managed to sneak in after losing just once in the last six, beating teams like the NFC #1 seed, the San Francisco 49ers, on the final day.

It set up a meeting that most football fans had been waiting for a long time to happen. When the news of Detroit facing the Rams was announced, a section of the Lions fans vouched to make Stafford’s life hard during the game.

Ed Lis, 53, of Clarkston, said he planned to vocalize his disdain for the former Lion because apparently he was denied an autograph, even though he traveled to Europe to watch Stafford play.

Well, first of all, we shouldn’t wear Stafford jerseys today because we’re playing Stafford. I’ve got this sad video of me saying, ‘Hey Matt, I came all the way to London; you won’t even sign my jersey?

Lis told the Detroit Free Press

There’s no confirmation whether Lis was in the crowd when the 35-year-old ran out of the tunnel, but he was met with a wave of boos from the crowd.

Matthew Stafford only had praise for Detroit

Even though Stafford is from Florida, most of his college and professional career was spent outside of his hometown of Tampa Bay. First in Atlanta, playing for the Bulldogs, and then being drafted by the Lions and moved to Detroit.

He spent 12 years in the state of Michigan before his eventual departure. He did not forget the cheers and the passion of the Motor City.
WATCH: Rams QB Matthew Stafford gets MASSIVELY booed on his return to Detroit to face the Lions in wildcardLos Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (Image via ESPN)

It's an amazing city with an amazing group of fans. The organization does a heck of a job, and I know they're going to be excited. It's going to be a heck of an atmosphere.

Stafford before the wild card game

But he also knows that he won’t have the dream because of how things ended. Yet he was ready to face everything head-on.

I'm not a stranger to the situation, and I understand that I'm the bad guy coming to town. So whatever happens, happens.

Matthew Stafford played 165 times for the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2020. He completed 3898 passes for 45,109 passing yards and 282 touchdowns. He became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw 5000 yards in a season (2011).