“What a clown”: Matthew Stafford's post-game comments invite backlash from Lions fans after 24-23 loss in Detroit

Matthew Stafford did a lot of winning for the city of Detroit. However, those wins didn't happen in the playoffs and fans are well aware of that fact. The Rams quarterback faced a sea of boos on his homecoming and seemed to be rubbed the wrong way about it. When asked about whether he was happy for the city, he said he was "happy for the players."

Fans took that to mean that he didn't care about the city and that insinuation stoked the fires of social media hate. Here's a look at what's being said about Stafford's comment after the 24-23 loss:

"Matthew Stafford isn't happy for the city of Detroit? Sheesh, what a clown. Lost a ton of respect for that man with this comment."

Matthew Stafford's miraculous 2023-24 playoff push ends

Standing in mid-January at the end of a long, grueling season with the taste of defeat still fresh, it's easy for Rams fans and players to forget what they accomplished. Their 2022 Super Bowl defense was marked with disastrous injuries leading to a 5-12 record: the worst of the Sean McVay era.

Most believed that the team had gone all-in on winning the Super Bowl and once the team fell apart in 2022 with an aging roster, they were essentially done in the playoff conversation. By Week 10, it seemed that the doubters were right with the team on the cusp of falling to 3-7.

However, with their backs against the wall, the Los Angeles Rams surged from 3-6 to a 10-7 final record and an outside chance at a home playoff game with the sixth seed. Had they managed to pull a late-game win against the Lions, the potential for a home game against the Packers would still be on the table.

Of course, for all that Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams did accomplish, it wasn't enough to log a season that will stand the test of time. Fans may remember the regular season run with rose-tinted glasses in the long run, but losing in the Wild Card round still leaves plenty of room for better memories left on the table.

Stafford ended the season with 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a statline that was inferior to arguably every healthy season since 2018. Will Cooper Kupp's Rams get better in 2024?