Rams' Matthew Stafford Reflects on Support from Lions Fans After Super Bowl Win
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford celebrates after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Even though Matthew Stafford won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, he's still thinking about where his career began.
After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at SoFi Stadium to capture his first Super Bowl title, Stafford gave a shoutout to the Detroit Lions fans that have supported him even though he decided to part ways with the organization.
"It was amazing. There's no reason for them to cheer for me anymore, and the fact that they did was just a true testament to who they are as people and who they are as fans," Stafford said.
Stafford, the No. 1 pick in 2009, spent the first 12 years of his career with the Lions. During his tenure, he went 74-90-1, having completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns against 144 interceptions.
However, the 34-year-old only reached the postseason in three seasons with the Lions. Detroit lost each of those games, all of which were wild-card round matchups. Regardless, Stafford gave everything he had to the Lions, so it's not surprising fans of the franchise are supporting him.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, "Detroit Rams" shirts, which had the Rams' head on a Lions logo, were sold in Michigan, perhaps one of the largest signs that fans in the state were still rooting for Stafford.
Even Stafford's former Lions teammates were pulling for him in the Super Bowl, including long snapper Don Muhlbach.
“I do wish we'd had done it here [in Detroit]," Muhlbach told ESPN's Michael Rothstein. "It would have been better if we all could have done it together, but I think a lot of his old teammates are thinking the same thing I do. We're all so happy for him.”
His former teammates also voiced support for the veteran after he won the Super Bowl, congratulating him on the victory via Twitter.
Stafford had a magical first season with the Rams. During the regular season, he went 12-5, completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns against 17 interceptions.
In three playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl, he completed 72 percent of his passes for 905 yards and six touchdowns against one interception. He also had two rushing touchdowns.
On Sunday against the Bengals, he completed 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which really wasn't his fault.
His performance helped secure a second Super Bowl title for the Rams and immediately validated the trade L.A. made to bring him in during last year's offseason.
Sean McVay: Rams Beat Bengals in Super Bowl 'Because Our Best Players Stepped Up'
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, left, celebrates with wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The Los Angeles Rams are loaded with playmakers on both sides of the ball, and they all came through in the biggest game of the season.
"That's why we're world champs, because our best players stepped up in the biggest moments," head coach Sean McVay told reporters after the 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday's Super Bowl LVI.
It's hard to argue with McVay's assessment.
Cooper Kupp capped off a dominant season with the Super Bowl MVP behind eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning reception in the final two minutes. Matthew Stafford also directed the winning touchdown drive that lasted 15 plays and 79 yards, while Odell Beckham Jr. scored a touchdown before he exited with a knee injury.
Defensively, Aaron Donald and Von Miller each finished with two sacks and three quarterback hits. Their ability to completely overwhelm Cincinnati's offensive line in the second half prevented the AFC representative from pulling away when it had the lead.
While Jalen Ramsey was beat for a long Tee Higgins touchdown—that appeared to happen because of offensive pass interference—he also finished with four tackles and a pass defended.
The Rams went all-in this season by acquiring Miller and Beckham during the campaign and Stafford before it started, and it paid off with a Lombardi Trophy. The championship wouldn't have happened without those stars leading the way, and perhaps it will inspire other teams to make aggressive moves in the hope of capitalizing on their championship windows.
The result was a legacy-defining Super Bowl for Stafford, Donald and Co.
Video: Rams' Taylor Rapp Proposes to Girlfriend Danielle Johnson After Super Bowl 56
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams' Taylor Rapp (L) and Los Angeles Rams' Jalen Ramsey celebrate after winning Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on February 13, 2022. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams free safety Taylor Rapp is having a pretty great day.
First, he and the Rams won Super Bowl LVI 23-20 over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Soon after the win, he proposed to his girlfriend, Danielle Johnson, in the middle of the SoFi Stadium field.
The 24-year-old, who just completed his third NFL season, amassed seven tackles (four solo) in the win.
This isn't the only time a football player has proposed to their girlfriend after a big game, with Boise State running back Ian Johnson notably doing so to partner Chrissy Popadics after the Broncos' 42-41 upset win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
This also isn't the only big news on the Rams' family front. Of note, NFL reporter Josina Anderson got the scoop that L.A. wideout Van Jefferson's wife, Samaria, was in labor with their second child:
Just spoke to #Rams WR Van Jefferson’s father, Shawn. He was waiting for his son by the elevator. They are on the way to the hospital where Samaria, Van’s wife, is in labor with their 2nd child. “The midwife said she has about an hour to go before birth.” Shawn said it’s a boy.
Overall, it was an excellent day for the Rams on multiple fronts as the team enjoyed its second-ever Lombardi Trophy and first in L.A.
Rams' Van Jefferson Leaves for Hospital After Super Bowl 56 to Attend Birth of Son
Feb 14, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 13: Chidobe Awuzie #22 of the Cincinnati Bengals breaks up a pass meant for Van Jefferson #12 of the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson is a Super Bowl champion, but he didn't remain at SoFi Stadium with his teammates to celebrate their 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, Jefferson left the stadium right after the game to go to the hospital for the birth of his son. Jefferson's wife, Samaria, went into labor during Sunday's game.
Van Jefferson grabbed his daughter as she and his dad came into the field and sprinted through the locker room and is heading to the hospital right now. Samaria, his wife, is having their son and was rushed to the hospital mid-game as she went into labor.
Jefferson, a second-year receiver out of Florida, took a big step forward in 2021. He caught 50 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns. Entering Sunday, he had five catches for 79 yards on nine targets in three playoff games.
The 25-year-old finished the Super Bowl with four catches for 23 yards.
Sean McVay Becomes Youngest Head Coach to Win Super Bowl with Rams' SB 56 Victory
Feb 14, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay became the youngest head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl at 36 years (and 20 days) old when his team beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
36 years old.
Sean McVay is officially the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl.
The Rams hired McVay ahead of the 2017 season, and he has led the franchise to two Super Bowls in his five seasons. When he was 33, L.A. reached the Super Bowl during the 2018 season, though the Rams fell to the New England Patriots.
Only two other head coaches younger than 40 have won a Super Bowl: the Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin, who was 36 years, 323 days, in Super Bowl 43; and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden, who was 39 in Super Bowl 37.
The Rams had not won a Super Bowl since the 1999 season, when the 63-year-old Dick Vermeil was head coach and they defeated the Tennessee Titans 23-16.
Rams' Cooper Kupp Named Super Bowl 56 MVP; Caught Game-Winning TD
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) makes catch for a first down against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple (20) during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp won the Super Bowl LVI MVP award after catching eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The Rams went on a 15-play, 79-yard drive in 4:48 to take the three-point edge with 1:25 left.
15 plays. 79 yards.
What a drive by Matthew Stafford and the @RamsNFL.
The Associated Press' Offensive Player of the Year finished the regular season with 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Rams were dealt a significant blow when wideout Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a non-contact left knee injury in the second quarter and did not return. Beckham had caught two passes for 52 yards and one touchdown at the time.
After that point, the Rams offense stalled, scoring just three points in 41-plus minutes of game time.
However, Kupp carried the Rams when they needed him most, as his yearlong chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford shined through.
The OPOY added 33 catches for 478 yards and six touchdowns in the playoffs. The catch mark is an all-time playoff record.
Cooper Kupp finished with the most receptions (33) in a single postseason in NFL history.
Kupp's 2018 NFL season also ended following eight games after suffering a torn ACL.
He's back and better than any wide receiver out there right now, and his excellence was on full display.
Quarterbacks typically win the MVP award, but this was an occasion to break the mold.
This marked just the eighth time a wide receiver won a Super Bowl MVP. The last time this happened was Feb. 2019, when the New England Patriots' Julian Edelman took the honors in a 13-3 win over the Rams.
Kupp didn't get to play in that game because of his injury. This time around, Kupp made the most of his opportunity and propelled the Rams to the Lombardi Trophy.
Mattress Mack Loses $9.5M After Betting on Bengals to Beat Rams in Super Bowl 56
Feb 14, 2022
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 17: Houston business owner Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale poses for a portrait at his store Gallery Furniture in Houston, Texas on February 17, 2021. Gallery Furniture opened up its doors to help people with food and shelter during the power outages.
(Photo by Mark Felix for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Super Bowl LVI wasn't a good one for Mattress Mack.
The Houston-area businessman, real name Jim McIngvale, wagered $9.5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday's big game, but the squad fell short with a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
McIngvale initially wagered about $4.5 million on the Bengals moneyline before adding another $5 million bet, the largest in Super Bowl history, per Darren Rovell of The Action Network.
That put $16,207,800 on the line through Caesars Sportsbook.
Despite the lofty wagers, Mattress Mack seemed relatively calm as the game neared its conclusion:
The game eventually ended with Cooper Kupp scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.
McIngvale won $2.75 million in last year's Super Bowl, successfully betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat the Kansas City Chiefs. There have also been big losses with these wagers, including his $2.4 million bet in the Kentucky Derby.
Mattress Mack was on the losing end this time around, but he likely isn't done at the sportsbooks.
Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp Lift Rams over Joe Burrow, Bengals to Win Super Bowl 56
Feb 14, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 13: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams attempts a pass during the second quarter of Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Rams are champions for the first time since the 1999 season.
Los Angeles won its second Lombardi Trophy in team history with a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday's Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp—who was the MVP—led the way for the champion Rams, who had lost their previous two Super Bowls since they won in the 1999 campaign.
Stafford's touchdown pass to Kupp in the final two minutes put the Rams ahead, and the Bengals' final drive stalled when Aaron Donald forced a Joe Burrow incompletion on fourth down.
A solid showing from Burrow was not enough for the Bengals, who have now lost all three Super Bowl appearances in franchise history.
Notable Player Stats
Matthew Stafford, QB, LAR: 26-of-40 passing for 283 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
Cooper Kupp, WR, LAR: 8 catches for 92 yards, 2 TDs
Joe Burrow, QB, CIN: 22-of-33 passing for 263 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Tee Higgins, WR, CIN: 4 catches for 100 yards, 2 TDs
Ja'Marr Chase, WR, CIN: 5 catches for 89 yards
Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp Become Rams Heroes Forever
Sunday was all about legacies for the Rams.
Stafford was searching for a Super Bowl title to add to his potential Hall of Fame resume. Donald could further make his case as one of the best defenders in league history with a title on the defensive side. Kupp was looking to cap off his incredible season with a win. And head coach Sean McVay might just walk away on top and head into the broadcasting booth with a championship.
Those legacies were well on track out of the gates. Stafford picked Cincinnati's secondary apart for much of the first half while finding Odell Beckham Jr. and Kupp for touchdowns. Even with a muffed snap on an extra point, the Rams were up 13-3 and seemingly in full control.
However, the Bengals cut the deficit to 13-10 by halftime, and Beckham was questionable (then out) with a knee injury. Throw in Stafford's interception to Jessie Bates III in the end zone, and momentum was on the Bengals' side going into the second half.
That momentum continued to slip away from the Rams when the first two plays from scrimmage in the second half were a Bengals touchdown and a Stafford interception to Chidobe Awuzie. A promising drive then resulted in a field goal for the NFC representative, and the offense fell apart from there without Beckham and the Bengals committing more attention to Kupp.
The rushing attack was also invisible for much of the game, which put even more pressure on Stafford without Beckham, Robert Woods and Tyler Higbee.
Talk about coming through in the face of that pressure.
Stafford marched the Rams 79 yards on 15 plays for a drive that Los Angeles fans will remember forever. He was helped by a questionable defensive holding call on third down inside the 10-yard line, which set up the winning touchdown pass to Kupp and cemented that legacy in Super Bowl lore.
Bengals Fall Just Short of 1st Lombardi Trophy
Two wins in the 2019 season. Four wins in the 2020 season. Super Bowl in the 2021 season.
That's the Burrow effect.
Burrow has completely revamped the entire Bengals organization in two quick years, and Sunday was the opportunity to forever become a Cincinnati legend. Yet things certainly did not get off to an ideal start for the AFC representative after it turned the ball over on downs on its first possession to set up Los Angeles' opening touchdown.
The deficit expanded to 13-3, although the Bengals seized some momentum with an incredible one-handed catch by Ja'Marr Chase to set up an Evan McPherson field goal and then a trick-play touchdown pass from Joe Mixon to Tee Higgins. It felt like a win for Cincinnati to be down just three at the half after the abysmal start, especially since Burrow hadn't been playing particularly well.
It truly felt like a win when Burrow launched a 75-yard touchdown pass to Higgins on the first play from scrimmage in the second half to take the lead even if the receiver appeared to get away with offensive pass interference.
Still, the Bengals offensive line did its very best to blow that lead. It had no chance for extended stretches against the dominant trio of Von Miller, Donald and Leonard Floyd, and the entire city of Cincinnati was left holding its breath when Burrow grabbed his knee in pain and limped off the field in the fourth quarter.
Fortunately, Burrow remained in the game, but the rest of the contest was about missed chances. Tyler Boyd dropped a critical pass on third down when Cincinnati was attempting to run out the clock, the defense was unable to make a stop at the end of the game and the offense turned it over on downs in the final minute.
Combine that with the fact that Los Angeles' last touchdown came after a third-down penalty and the Bengals made a poor play call on their penultimate offensive play call by giving the ball to Samaje Perine, and Sunday was a day of heartbreak and what-could-have-been for Cincinnati.
George Kittle, Nick Chubb Tweet Petition to Ban Turf After Odell Beckham Jr. Injury
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) is attended on the field during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
After Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a non-contact injury to his left knee in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, multiple NFL players took to social media to voice their displeasure with playing on artificial turf.
In particular, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb and San Francisco 49ers George Kittle initiated a call-to-action by tweeting out a petition for the NFL to ban artificial turf in favor of real grass.
Chubb noted that the issue is personal because he sprained his MCL while playing on artificial turf.
Despite many calling for the removal of artificial turf from the game, veteran receiver Kenny Stills indicated his skepticism by pointing out the reason real grass isn't used more:
Beckham went down in the second quarter and had to be helped off the field without putting much weight on his left leg. He had suffered a torn ACL in his left knee seven games into the 2020 season. Beckham's injury was a major blow to the Rams as he had success in the first half with two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
Rams' Odell Beckham Jr. Ruled Out of Super Bowl 56 After Non-Contact Knee Injury
Feb 14, 2022
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) runs during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was ruled out for the remainder of Super Bowl 56 in the third quarter Sunday after suffering a non-contact knee injury in the second quarter.
Beckham had to be helped off the field without putting much weight on his left leg. NFL Network's James Palmer noted that Beckham was visibly upset and punched a table as he walked into the medical tent.
Beckham told Josina Anderson after the game there's no firm diagnosis yet.
“We don’t know yet, we’re going to wait to hear,” Beckham said. “I was trying to go back out there. Docs are going to take care of you."
Beckham signed with Los Angeles prior to its Week 10 game against the San Francisco 49ers. He was released by the Cleveland Browns after two-plus seasons with the team.
Beckham got off to a slow start this season after returning in Week 3 following his recovery from a torn ACL. Since signing with the Rams, he's done much better. He caught a touchdown in the first quarter of Super Bowl LVI, his third score of the postseason.
The Browns acquired Beckham from the New York Giants prior to the 2019 season. He recorded 74 receptions for 1,035 yards in his first year with Cleveland, but his 2020 season was cut short after seven games because of the torn ACL.
Beckham's separation from Cleveland was a messy one. The team could not find a trade destination for the three-time Pro Bowler before the NFL trade deadline passed. Beckham's father, Odell Beckham Sr., posted an Instagram video showing Baker Mayfield failing to throw to the 29-year-old. Beckham was then excused from practice while the Browns worked toward releasing him.
Beckham's injury is another blow to the Los Angeles receiving corps. The Rams lost receiver Robert Woods for the remainder of the season because of a torn ACL suffered in practice prior to Week 10. At the time of his injury, Woods was second on the team with 45 receptions, 556 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
