NFL · Throwback
The arm that carried Detroit: revisiting Matthew Stafford's final Lions season
Before the Super Bowl ring in Los Angeles, there were twelve seasons in Honolulu Blue. In 2020, his last in Detroit, Stafford was still the reason Ford Field believed in a fourth-quarter comeback.
Stafford against Washington at Ford Field, November 15, 2020. Photo: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The afternoon against Washington summed up the era. The Lions led, let it slip, and still found a way: Stafford moved the offense into range in the final seconds, and Matt Prater's 59-yard field goal sent the home crowd out happy.
With No. 9 under center, no deficit at Ford Field ever felt final.
Look closely at the photo and you'll see the details fans still chase: the silver helmet, the No. 9 home jersey and the white cleats. Tap any of them to find something similar for your next game day.
That winter, Detroit agreed to the trade that sent him to Los Angeles, and to a Super Bowl title a year later.