Matthew Stafford didn’t just battle the elements and the No. 1 defense in the NFL on Sunday. He also fought through a rib injury suffered early in the game.
Stafford was visibly shaken up after a 5-yard scramble where he collided with Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, a play that knocked the rookie corner out for the rest of the game due to a shoulder injury.
Stafford never missed a play, but he got banged up just 7 minutes into the game and didn’t waiver one bit. Sean McVay revealed after the Rams’ 28-22 loss that Stafford “got his rib early” and played through it the whole time.
“He got his rib early,” McVay said. “He got dinged up. But he is a warrior. He’s so tough. He represents so many things that are right about what this team became, especially for a city that’s hurting and going through some different stuff.”
McVay said he’s “sure damn proud of Matthew Stafford” for everything he put on display Sunday despite the losing effort, making the most of a really difficult situation – not only with a great defense on the other side, but with the weather making it challenging to throw the ball.
“I think he epitomizes a lot of the stuff that’s right at him in terms of toughness, resilience, ability to overcome adversity,” McVay said. “He’s a total freaking stud. And I thought he was outstanding tonight with the opportunities that he was given.”
Stafford has always been one of the toughest players in football, going back to his early days in Detroit. He’s missed games throughout his career like every player has, but he plays through more injuries than just about anyone in the league.
Sunday was no different.
