Before the Detroit Lions’ playoff game against the Washington Commanders, a Lions supporter sold an autographed Matthew Stafford jersey to afford tickets for him and his daughter to attend the game.
Though Detroit lost the game, the fan has a memorable story to share.
The Los Angeles Rams quarterback received an article about the fan’s situation, which motivated him to send a signed jersey in return.
The jersey had been worn during Stafford’s time with the Lions and was a keepsake from the team’s 11-5 season in 2014, their best record during Stafford’s tenure.
The fan, Bryson Machonga, was overjoyed by the quarterback’s gesture when speaking to the Detroit Free Press.
“I was over the moon… Disbelief at the start,” Machonga told the Detroit Free Press. “But then it just turned into resounding joy, excitement. It just reconfirmed who Matthew Stafford is.
He had no reason to go about doing this. He had no gain. He’s not our quarterback anymore… he went out of his way in a playoff week.”
“I don’t understand why many Lions fans don’t like Stafford, he is by far the best QB our franchise has seen,” one fan said about the Rams quarterback.
“He still has that Lions blood in him. Looking forward to the standing ovation Matthew Stafford will get when he is inducted into the Pride of the Lions,” another fan said in support of Stafford.
“Gotta give it up to the Stafford’s, man. They’re always doing right by the fans. Respect,” a fan said about the quarterback’s gesture.
“Matthew is a good guy,” a user said, reacting to the news.
Lions fans, for the most part, have remained supportive of Stafford despite his shift to the Rams, but this act shows just how much the city and fans in Detroit mean to him.