Los Angeles Rams vs Lions: was Matthew Stafford supposed to be pulled out after the head injury?

On the 24th of January, 2024, Matthew Stafford the Rams quarterback was injured during a match against the Lions, at Fort Field. While many thought he had suffered a serious head injury, Stafford himself said he was fine and fit to play the rest of the game.

Stafford suffered a hand injury at the beginning of the game. He then took a nasty blow when Lions defender Alim McNeill came and tackled him and knocked him out.

Stafford fell and hit the back of his head, which made his helmet bounce on the turf. This made the referees and fans concerned, as it seemed like a very hard hit, which could have caused a concussion. It seemed likely that he would be pulled out, but Stafford insisted on keeping on playing after the injury assessment was done.

Who is Matthew Stafford?

Matthew Stafford is an American football player who plays as a quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams (NFL). He has many records to his name including being the fastest NFL player to reach 40000 yards.

Matthew Stafford concussion explored

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Head Coach Sean McVay of the RAMS commented on Matthew Stafford’s injury later, saying that he wasn’t sure whether Matthew was checked for a concussion when he took the nasty hits in the second half of the game against the Lions.

Stafford, on the other hand, claimed that he did not suffer any serious injuries.

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He said, “I took a shot to the ribs and to the head, but I felt fine, came back in, and felt good.”

According to NFL rules, players who suffer concussions need to be checked on the sideline immediately. If they are declared fit, they can go back to the game. The same rules applied to Matthew Stafford that night when he was knocked down and almost blacked out.

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Stafford managed to get up on his own and went to the sideline for an assessment plus checkup, after which he returned to the game and fought on gamely even after having suffered multiple injuries.

Although Stafford could not make his team win that night, he stole the show with his courage, sportsmanship and bravery.

Speculations

Was it another bad call of the night by the NFL officiating crew? or did Stafford make a smart move to come back to the field and play again? These things remain a matter of speculation.

Currently recovering from numerous injuries, Stafford wants to play another season with his team in 2024.

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