Matthew Stafford will always have a place in Detroit Lions lore. He's the franchise's easy all-time leader in touchdown passes, completions, attempts and yards, not to mention the winningest quarterback in Lions history. Ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Motor City in Sunday's wild card matchup between the Lions and Los Angeles Rams, though, Stafford isn't exactly expecting a warm welcome—and Alex Anzalone is doing everything he can to ensure he doesn't get it.

The veteran linebacker has implored the Ford Field crowd to get loud not just as Stafford approaches the line of scrimmage to take the snap, but as he and the Rams first get into huddles, according to Bridget Condon of NFL Network.

Stafford, the Lions' quarterback for a whopping 12 seasons before being traded for Jared Goff before the 2021 season, makes his first return to Ford Field as an opponent on Sunday. The Lions have been stout at home all season, going 6-2, but Detroit's home-field advantage will no doubt loom extra large as the team hosts its first playoff game since all the way back in 1993.

Stafford as the Lions' opposing quarterback will only add fuel to that fire, especially in wake of Anzalone's challenge to the home crowd. Don't expect Stafford to be surprised by the overtly frothy reception he's poised to get from same the fans who cheered him on for a over a decade, though.

“I'm not a stranger to the situation and understand that I'm the bad guy coming to town. I'm on the other team,” he said earlier this week. “They don't want success for me. So whatever happens, happens.”

Los Angeles and Detroit are set to kickoff at 5:00 p.m. (PT).