Matt Patricia explains why Lions won’t shut down Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford is dealing with fractures in his back, which is a fairly severe injury. His Detroit Lions are 3-8-1 and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. So why haven’t they ruled out their veteran quarterback for the rest of the year?

According to coach Matt Patricia, the Lions are keeping the door open on Stafford’s return out of respect for his competitiveness.

Patricia said the Lions are "going to keep that door open" for Stafford to return still ."out of respect for Matthew and his competitiveness"

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) December 2, 2019

Stafford is tough and wants to play, even though there’s no real reason for him to come back. Shutting him down is definitely on the table, but the team appears determined to monitor his progress and give him every chance to play again. It’s probably not smart, but they appear quite committed.

Stafford started eight games this season, and had 2,499 yards and 19 touchdowns in what was shaping up to be one of his best years statistically.