Matthew Stafford May 28, 2024; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during OTAs at the team training facility at California Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will return to Detroit again this Sunday. The former Detroit Lions quarterback is ready for whatever comes next.

Stafford knows that the Motor City fans won’t take to him like they used to. The former No. 1 overall pick addressed the situation on Wednesday ahead of Sunday night’s playoff rematch between the Lions and Rams.

Stafford says he’s motivated by the fans’ reaction to him.

He said, “I want to hear all of it. I want to smell it. I want it to feel like it’s football. That’s part of football, especially going to an away game. That stuff just motivates me.”

The trade that sent Stafford to LA has arguably worked out for both teams. After acquiring Stafford in the offseason, the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021. Jared Goff, who the Lions acquired, helped lead Detroit to the playoffs last year and their first NFC Division title since the early 1990s. 2023 marked the first time the team even won the NFC North; their last division title was when it was still called the NFC Central.

The Lions have big aspirations this year, following their NFC Championship run last year. Detroit is hoping to make the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

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[Los Angeles Times]

About Chris Novak

Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022