Matthew Stafford injury update: Rams QB takes scary hit to head, returns to play vs. Lions

Former Georgia football star and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford took a hard hit and was sent to the medical tent in Sunday night's NFL wild-card game at the Detroit Lions.

Stafford dropped back to pass and was hit by two Lions pass rushers, first by Aidan Hutchinson. He came up holding his right side and replay showed his head hitting the turf at Ford Field, appearing to look up at the lights in a daze in a briefly scary scene.

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Heading into the fourth quarter, the Rams trailed the Lions 24-20 on the road.

Stafford, 35, is in his 15th NFL season and third with Los Angeles after spending the first 12 years of his career with Detroit. Through three quarters of Sunday's playoff game, the former No. 1 overall pick completed 18 of 25 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns.

Entering the game, Stafford completed 326 of 521 passes for 3,965 yards with 24 touchdowns to 11 interceptions on the season.

Here's what to know about Stafford's injury:

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Matthew Stafford injury update

This section will be updated.

Stafford took a shot late in the third quarter to what appeared to be both his ribs area and head during Sunday's NFL playoff game between Los Angeles and Detroit. He was seen entering the medical tent with the game's independent neurologist, according to the NBC broadcast.

However, Stafford re-entered the game on the Rams' next drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Matthew Stafford stats

• 2023-24: 326 of 521 passing (62.6%) for 3,965 yards with 24 touchdowns to 11 interceptions

• Career: 4,834 of 7,649 passing (63.2) for 56,047 yards with 357 touchdowns to 180 interceptions

Matthew Stafford with Detroit Lions

Stafford played his first 12 NFL seasons with the Lions but was traded to Los Angeles ahead of the 2021 season for a package that included draft picks and quarterback Jared Goff, Detroit's current quarterback. The Rams gave up their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, along with a third-round pick in 2021 for Stafford.

Stafford, who won the Super Bowl in his first season with L.A., is facing Goff and Detroit in the 2024 NFL wild-card round for his first game at Ford Field since the trade.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Matthew Stafford injury update: Rams QB takes scary hit vs. Lions