It would be very difficult to find a former teammate who would say a negative word about Matthew Stafford, and Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockensen put that into perspective when asked about the quarterback this week.
Hockensen had nothing but positive things to say about Stafford during an appearance on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast. He described Stafford as a player who would do anything for his teammates and said he was beloved in the locker room.
“He’s one of those guys, again, for the boys, for all of us, he was like, ‘y’all do all this during the week. Y’all do everything I ask of you, and I’m going to go out there and do everything I can for you guys,’” Hockensen said, as transcribed by Benjamin Raven of NJ.com. “Everybody on our team respected that guy. Like everybody loved him. He will forever put a stamp on my career and in the city of Detroit. He’s, I mean, he was, like I said, one of the best — the best player I’ve ever (played with).”
Stafford, of course, was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff and draft picks. Even with the Rams and Lions both playing in the NFC, Hockensen said he and everyone else in Detroit want to see Stafford win a Super Bowl.
“There’s not a guy in our locker room that’s not rooting for that guy to get a ring,” Hockensen said. “I mean, all of us loved him.”
If you want to know why Stafford has earned so much respect from his teammates, look no further than his explanation for playing through injuries.
The Lions have been one of the worst franchises in football for years, so it’s fair to wonder how Stafford would have fared elsewhere. He now has a chance to answer those questions. It’s no surprise his former teammates want to see him succeed.
Photo: A Healthier Michigan/Flickr via cc-by-sa 2.0
