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- Mar 18, 2019
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Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was able to rejoin the team on Sunday after spending the week in isolation from them and his family after being exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
That stress of being away from his family was exacerbated when his daughter fell out of a high chair and suffered a concussion. Stafford said he considered breaking isolation and ending his chance of playing so he could be with her and the rest of his family, but opted not to when his wife found help for their other kids.
Stafford’s Sunday ended when he went for a concussion evaluation in the fourth quarter. He was cleared, but did not return to the 34-20 loss and said after the game that the stress of the week weighed on him.
“I understand it’s a pandemic and people’s health and safety are at risk, and I would feel terrible if I brought that in and infected a bunch of teammates or coaches or whatever it is,” Stafford said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “It doesn’t make it easy, but everybody in the league’s doing it. I just hate being away from my family. Finish a practice, finish a game, go hug my daughters, hug my wife, that’s what sometimes makes it worth it for me, and not being able to see them and hang with them has been really tough. But there’s other people dealing with the same kind of stuff I am. But that’s just the hard part for me.”
Stafford was 23-of-32 for 211 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions before leaving the game. He and the Lions will hope for a calmer week leading up to next Sunday’s game against Washington.