DETROIT — Matthew Stafford says he didn't give much thought to opting out of this coming season, but the Detroit quarterback has been through a lot these past couple of years.
His wife had surgery last year to remove a brain tumor. Then Stafford went through football-related injuries that halted his 2019 season.
His status was momentarily uncertain again recently when he was put on the reserve/COVID-19 list Aug. 1. The list was created for players who either test positive for COVID-19 or have been in close contact with an infected person.
He was removed three days later, with the Lions saying it was a false positive.
“To be clear, Matthew does NOT have COVID-19 and never has had COVID-19 and the test in question was a False-Positive,” the team said in a statement. “Also, all of Matthew’s family have been tested and everyone is negative.”
Stafford says that recent episode was a bit scary, but it was quickly resolved. The 32-year-old quarterback was one of the most high-profile players to be added to the list.
Stafford is entering his 12th season with Detroit after being drafted by the Lions with the No. 1 overall pick in 2009.
