DETROIT – The match-up is set for Super Bowl LVI as the Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Rams inside Sofi Stadium.
The big game will be somewhat bittersweet for Detroit Lions fans as Matthew Stafford leads the Rams in his first season since leaving Detroit.
Stafford went 74 and 90 as a Lion. He had no playoff wins and yet went 12-4 as an Ram. Stafford went into, for him, uncharted playoff territory.
Now he’s off to the Super Bowl, and many Lions fans are enjoying the ride with him.
“Yeah,” said Stafford fan Norm Hancock.
“Rooting for him,” said James.
“It’s only happiness for the guy, and he deserves it,” said Nate.
Stafford spent 12 seasons watching the NFC Championship Game at home. But this year, he aced the test, giving the Rams everything they dreamt for when they made the deal to acquire him.
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And it says much about the state of Detroit NFL football when Lions fans find themselves rooting against their own interest. After all, the Rams gave Detroit two first-round draft picks and Jared Goff in exchange.
The first pick will either be second to last or the last in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft in April.
At Snookers in Fraser today (Jan. 31), Norm Hancock said he is very happy for Stafford.
Inside Royal Oak’s Dapper House Barber Shop, Nate Hansen said, “Oh definitely happy, ecstatic, he deserves it he’s a great quarterback, he’s been killing it for years, and honestly many years he was a Lions, and now he finally gets a chance with a good team to actually be there.”
James Barnes of Detroit spelled out Stafford’s success inside Tom’s Oyster Bar.
“He came here for 12 years, never won anything, goes to L.A. for one year, and he’s about to win everything,” Barnes said.
“Yeah, I couldn’t be happier for the guy, he deserves this so happy for him, and I feel as if he has two cities rooting for him,” said Grace.
Grace also said she doesn’t view this as similar to Justin Verlander’s success with the World Series because the Detroit Tigers were a good team and got to the championship. The Lions have never had a whiff of a Super Bowl.
Local 4 is your only home for Super Bowl 56 on Sunday, Feb. 13. We’ll have complete coverage over these next two weeks leading up to the big game.