Matthew Stafford showed his toughness once again in Saturday’s win over the Carolina Panthers, even after injuring his hand. The Rams quarterback smacked his hand on a defender’s arm before halftime, bending his index finger backward and causing him visible pain. “It wasn’t pleasant,” Stafford admitted after the game, but he didn’t miss a single play, leading Los Angeles to a dramatic victory.
X-rays came back negative, and on Monday, head coach Sean McVay updated Stafford’s status, saying the veteran signal-caller suffered “a little sprain on his index finger” but will be “good to go” for Sunday’s Divisional Round matchup against the Chicago Bears. Cold conditions at Soldier Field won’t make the finger any more comfortable, but there’s no reason to expect Stafford will be slowed down.
Even through the injury, Stafford delivered when it mattered most, capping the win with a 38-second game-winning touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson. If Stafford’s history is any guide, he likely would’ve played through even more severe pain to help his team advance.
