By Adeniyi Precious 
It’s been four years since the Detroit Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams, and while he’s now an opposing quarterback, most Lions fans still have a soft spot for him. His latest act of kindness just gave them another reason to respect him.
Before the Lions’ playoff game against the Commanders, fan Bryson Machonga made the tough choice to sell his autographed Stafford jersey—along with other memorabilia and some bourbon—to afford tickets for himself and his daughter.
Word got back to Stafford, and instead of just acknowledging it, he took action. A Rams staffer reached out to Machonga, who initially thought it was a scam. But it turned out to be the real deal—Stafford had seen the article about Machonga selling his jersey and wanted to help.
Stafford sent over a game-worn, autographed jersey from the Lions’ 2014 season, when the team had its best record during his time in Detroit (11-5). He even added a personal message.
Machonga was stunned. “I was over the moon… Disbelief at the start,” he told the Free Press. “But then it just turned into resounding joy, excitement. It just reconfirmed who Matthew Stafford is. He had no reason to do this. He’s not our quarterback anymore… but he went out of his way in a playoff week.”
Even as Stafford remains a competitor, moments like this make it hard for Lions fans to truly root against him.