Matthew Stafford stood in front of the gathered media in Allen Park on Tuesday ready to put all this offseason’s hard work into action. The veteran is primed and excited for this Sunday’s season opener in Arizona against the Cardinals.
It will be his 11th straight Week 1 start, making Stafford one of the affirmed greybeards on a fairly youthful Lions team. He’s the only offensive starter over 30. Stafford appreciates how his younger teammates look to him for leadership and advice.
“These guys are getting younger every year in this locker room, and what they do on and off the field surprises me sometimes, but I enjoy it,” Stafford said with a smile. “It’s a really fun part of being around for as long as I’ve been around. Seeing the locker rooms change and getting to know a bunch of different guys is a lot of fun.”
He embraces being a leader for the Lions and the responsibility that being a veteran brings,
“…every year I’m trying to be a better player than I was a year before. This year’s no different. Obviously, I put added pressure on myself just to play better and help this team.”
He and long snapper Don Muhlbach (now 38) wind up being sounding boards off the field, too.
“I’m trying to help (young players) out as much as I possibly can. There are things within the game that I can for sure help them with or at least give them my thought, my advice. That’s in the play, in the game, but also walking around the locker room – where to live out here. All that kind of stuff. There are just a million questions that Muhlbach and I get being the tenured guys around here. That we try to help them out as much as we possibly can.”
