By Mummy Grace 
Detroit Lions fans witnessed a heartwarming story during this year’s playoffs, despite the team’s 45-31 loss. Bryson Machonga, who had sold his autographed Matthew Stafford jersey to fund his trip from Wisconsin to Detroit for his daughter’s first-ever Lions playoff game, became an internet sensation. Though the game didn’t go as hoped, there was an unexpected twist that brought joy to Machonga’s family.
Matthew Stafford, former Lions quarterback and now with the Rams, caught wind of the story. As a gesture of kindness, Stafford sent Machonga a game-worn jersey from the 2014 Lions season.
Machonga shared his surprise and excitement with the Detroit Free Press, saying, “I was over the moon. … Disbelief at the start… It just reconfirmed who Matthew Stafford is.” He added that Stafford had no obligation to do this, especially since Stafford no longer plays for the Lions. “He went out of his way in a playoff week.”
Despite Stafford’s mixed reception in Detroit, particularly with the rivalry between the Lions and Rams, this gesture shows his ongoing affection for the city. Machonga summed it up by saying, “It’s what sports are meant to do, bring people closer together. He did that — it speaks to his character.”