Doctors Have Told Matthew Stafford He Has 6-Week Injury, Could Return Sooner

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that doctors recently told Lions QB Matthew Stafford that the fractured bones in his back are a six-week injury.

Schefter says this doesn’t mean Stafford will end up missing the full six weeks, but it’s at least an idea of how severe his back injury is. 

The Lions have already ruled Stafford out for Sunday’s game and a source tells Schefter that Stafford “could miss one week, he could miss three weeks.”

Stafford is specifically dealing with tiny, non-displaced fractures in the upper thoracic spine, according to Ian Rapoport. 

According to Rapoport, Stafford is scheduled to undergo another scan later this week to determine his status going forward.

The Lions will once again turn to Jeff Driskel as their starter with rookie David Blough serving as his backup. 

Stafford, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Lions back in 2009. He was in the final year of his five-year, $76.5 million contract when he and the Lions agreed to a five-year, $135 million extension back in 2017.

Stafford stands to make base salaries of $13.5 million and $15 million over the next two years of the agreement.

In 2019, Stafford has appeared in eight games and completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 2,499 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 66 yards.