ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- After sitting for almost six weeks, the Detroit Lions finally put quarterback Matthew Stafford on injured reserve Tuesday, ending the quarterback's season.
Stafford was injured on the final drive of Detroit's loss to Oakland on Nov. 3, breaking bones in his back. He played through the end of that game, practiced on a limited basis the following week and then missed his first start since the end of the 2010 season the following Sunday against Chicago, snapping a streak of 136 consecutive starts.
The Lions ended up fined $110,000 between the organization, general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia for how they handled the reporting of Stafford's injury heading into the game against the Bears.
Stafford deemed the injury "a freak deal that happened," but doesn't believe it will have any long-term effects on him and will not be a reoccurring issue. Earlier this month, he said he wants to still "play for a long time."
Stafford finished his season with 2,499 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions over eight games. He was playing some of the best football of his career, completing 64.3 percent of his passes. The 31-year-old became the fastest quarterback to 40,000 yards earlier this season and finished his season with 41,025 yards.
The Lions had initially hoped Stafford would be able to return and he took a type of coaching role on the sidelines in the weeks following with his replacements, Jeff Driskel and David Blough, often talking with them after drives to help explain what he was seeing to the quarterbacks.
Stafford had also held out hope he could play again in 2019 - saying he would return if the doctors cleared him - but Detroit just couldn't get healthy enough to return.
"I have the utmost respect for Matthew," Patricia said. "And his efforts to try and do everything he could to get back and play."