Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford exited their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday after suffering an ankle injury, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Though the veteran passer was able to leave the field under his own power, he was in obvious discomfort as he hobbled to the locker room and is listed as questionable to return. Backup quarterback Chase Daniels appears set to finish the match, per Tim Twentyman of the Lions.
Stafford back on the sideline, but Daniel going back into the game. #TBvsDET
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) December 26, 2020
Attempting to convert a third-and-short situation, Stafford was injured when Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David succeeded in pressuring the quarterback on a pass to Danny Amendola. Though Stafford succeeded in completing the pass to Amendola, the signal-caller appeared to have twisted his ankle as a result of the hit.
With the Lions out of playoff contention with a 5-9 record on the season, there remains a possibility that Stafford could have played his final snap for Detroit in his career. Signed to a five-year contract extension in 2017, the Lions have the ability to opt-out of the deal, though such a move would carry a cap hit of over $24 million in dead money. While teams normally look to avoid incurring such heavy burdens, Stafford's advanced age, combined with the Lions' need to undergo a rebuild, may force their hand.
Should Stafford eventually be released by Detroit, the quarterback will have compiled a record of 74-88-1 over 11 years, while throwing 279 touchdowns against 143 interceptions.
With Stafford stuck on the sidelines, the Lions are enduring a beatdown by the Buccaneers, trailing 34-0 heading into the second half. If this truly is the first step into a post-Stafford era for Detroit, it certainly doesn't look pretty.
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