Matthew Stafford will have minor knee surgery on Tuesday.
Allen Park, Mich.— Detroit Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz announced today that rookie QB Matthew Stafford will undergo a minor surgical procedure on his knee next week and will be placed on the Reserve/Injured list.
“After a physical examination which has ruled him out for Chicago’s game, we’ve decided to put Matthew Stafford on the injured reserve,” said Schwartz. “He’ll be operated on Tuesday for a minor knee operation that we knew we were going to have to do at the end of the season. It’s just a little clean up, but we’re going to get a week jump on that since we’re going to declare him out for Chicago. That’ll be Tuesday in Birmingham (Ala.). We anticipate a minor surgery just to clean out some irritants and debris. Since he’s had it, he’s had on and off swelling. It’s been stuff he’s been able to play through, but it’s also something we knew we needed to address after the season. His shoulder is on course, there’s no procedure for the shoulder. That’s where we are with him.”
Stafford, the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, completed 201-of-377 passes (53.3 pct.) for 2,267 yards during his rookie season. His 13 touchdown passes are a new Lions’ rookie passing record. With a 54-yard pass to WR Calvin Johnson at Cincinnati (12/6), Stafford recorded either a touchdown pass or a rushing touchdown in all 10 games he started this year.
On November 22 against the Cleveland Browns, Stafford turned in one of the finest performances by a rookie in NFL history. Against the Browns, he led the Lions to a 38-37 win after overcoming three different deficits (21, 3 and 6 points).
In that game, Stafford became just the second rookie in NFL history to throw for five touchdowns in a game and shattered the Lions’ previous rookie-high of two. fter injuring his shoulder at the end of the game, Stafford returned for the game’s final play, connecting on a one-yard touchdown strike to fellow rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew on an untimed down (following a defensive pass interference penalty) for the game-winning score.
