ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- During his press conference Friday, Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia reaffirmed the team's commitment to Matthew Stafford as starting quarterback.
"Matthew Stafford’s an unbelievable quarterback," Patricia told reporters. "He’s our quarterback. He’s been fighting and battling and playing hard and leading this team throughout the entire course of the season. So, we’ll obviously just keep working and progressing and trying to grow and get better next year. Hopefully, we can do some things to help him."
Stafford, who himself downplayed< /span> trade speculation Thursday, is finishing the second year of a five-year, $135 million contract extension signed in 2017.
“Yeah," Patricia said when asked if he wants Stafford to return as his quarterback in 2019. "We’re in a situation where Matt Stafford is our quarterback. That’s what it is. So, like I said, I think the world of the guy. I think he’s an unbelievable competitor, I think he’s a great player, and I have to do everything I can to try to help him as much as possible.”
