Matthew Stafford is ready for Detroit Lions fans to make some noise again.
The quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, who spent 12 seasons with the Lions, was met with boos when he came back to Ford Field in January for an NFC wild-card game.
The boos turned into cheers when the Lions won the game by a point, ending their 32-year playoff win drought and sending a former fan favorite back to his new team.
While Stafford’s wife, Kelly, and their three daughters won’t be attending the rematch to avoid hearing the fans, Stafford said the boos motivate him. “I want to hear all of it,” he said.
Stafford might hear a lot of noise on Sunday night when the Rams play in Detroit because the Lions’ fans are excited about the possibility of having a Super Bowl-contending team to support — finally.
The Lions, who won the NFC North last year, are coming off their first postseason with two wins since their NFL title in 1957, and they worked in the offseason to improve their team on both sides of the ball.
“Our expectations were the same last year as they are now,” said Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, who joined the Lions along with first-round picks for Stafford in 2021. “Obviously externally, we’ve got a lot more attention.”
