Former Detroit Lion Matthew Stafford came up big when his team needed it the most on Sunday against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, notching his second playoff win with his new team and beating arguably the greatest to ever do it in the process.
Stafford’s Rams punched their ticket to next week’s NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers with a 30-27 win over the hometown Bucs in a game that will likely be viewed as the former Detroit Pro Bowler’s signature win, 13 years into his career — at least for the foreseeable future.
The Rams will have home field advantage against Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers, and are likely to be considerable point spread betting favorites when the action opens up in Vegas.
Following Stafford’s win, during which he threw for 366 yards and and two touchdowns while going 28-for-38 on the evening, a handful of the former Georgia Bulldog and five-time NFL Top 100 team member’s former Detroit teammates reacted to the landmark victory on their Twitter accounts.
Cornerback Darius Slay, another former Lions Pro Bowler and current Philadelphia Eagle, was especially happy for his former teammate after the game, and appeared to be cheering him on during it.
Yes sir…. Staff!!!! Really happy for my guy✊?
— Darius Slay (@bigplay24slay) January 23, 2022
Loving it staff!!!
— Darius Slay (@bigplay24slay) January 23, 2022
As the game, and season, came to an abrupt end and Rams kicker Matt Gay’s kick sailed through the uprights, more former Stafford teammates from his Lions days offered their thoughts and congratulations, including his former backfield mate, fullback Jason Cabinda.
Happy for staff he deserve it
— Jason Cabinda (@jasoncabinda) January 23, 2022
That game was so live lol
— Jason Cabinda (@jasoncabinda) January 23, 2022
Hulking offensive lineman Taylor Decker also joined in the fun with a NSFW (not safe for work) tweet that can be read below.
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Finally Nick Williams, a current defensive lineman for Detroit, had the following to say in a tweet.
Happy for #9. ?? Straight killa
— Nicholas Williams (@NickWilliams_98) January 23, 2022
In case you missed it, here was the play that set it all up, courtesy of Matthew’s record-setting favorite receiver Cooper Kupp, the man who made fans forget even Megatron, aka Calvin Johnson (Stafford’s former favorite target with Detroit), for the time being at least.
Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp!!!! Season saving throw and catch… Unbelievable. video via (@nfl) pic.twitter.com/YlLwVI9vpN
— Eight Twenty-Four (@Eight24pro) January 23, 2022