Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has officially been ruled out of Sunday’s (Nov. 10) game against the Chicago Bears due to fractured bones in his back.
Doctors will not allow Stafford to play, despite the fact that he was practicing and throwing 60-yard passes on Friday. He is now considered week-to-week with the back injury, with one source telling ESPN that he could be out “this week or three weeks.” Jeff Driskel will start Sunday in his place.
The injury brings an end to Stafford’s impressive streak of 136 consecutive regular-season starts, the sixth longest for a quarterback in NFL history. The last time someone other than Stafford started at quarterback for the Lions was Shaun Hill in Week 17 of the 2010 season.
Stafford’s injury dates back to last season, but he has been playing through the pain. Doctors insisted on further testing that revealed the extent of the damage in his back. When asked about the injury on Wednesday, the quarterback said he was “fine.” He was listed as questionable on the injury report and practiced every day on a limited basis this week.
Stafford is fourth in the NFL with 2,499 passing yards. Driskel started five games for Cincinnati last season, where he completed 59.7 percent of his passes for six touchdowns and two interceptions.
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