Allen Park — The Detroit Lions waited more than five weeks before putting quarterback Matthew Stafford on injured reserve, finally pulling the trigger on the season-ending move on Tuesday.
Lions coach Matt Patricia, who consistently stated Stafford was being kept on the active roster out of respect for the quarterback's competitiveness and will to return to the lineup, said the decision was ultimately made because Stafford's spot was needed to help deal with the burden of mounting injuries across the roster, not because the quarterback had a setback in his recovery from the back injury that's sidelining him.