While Bob Quinn has spent a good deal of the offseason shooting down Matthew Stafford rumors, on Thursday it was Matt Patricia's turn.
The idea that the Lions are trying to trade their franchise quarterback?
"It's comical, to me, to be honest with you," Patricia told Good Morning Football at the NFL combine. "I'm not interested in doing any of that. There's no conversation of that whatsoever."
Patricia was at his alma mater RPI as a guest speaker when WDIV earlier this month reported the Lions have been engaged in Stafford trade talks.
"Looking at my phone, I'm like, 'What is going on? Who is this guy? Who put this out there?' Just really confusing," Patricia said. "One of those things that I kind of laugh at because it's not even a conversation.
"Honestly, Matt Stafford, I love the guy. He's one of the reasons I came to Detroit when I was looking at different jobs and opportunities. An opportunity to work with a guy like Matthew Stafford, for me, I mean, there's no question."
"It's comical. It's just one of those things I kind of laugh at cause it's not even a conversation. He's one of the reasons I came to Detroit."HC Matt Patricia joins @PSchrags in Indy to address the rumors about the @Lions moving on from Matt Stafford. pic.twitter.com/N9qjNHQWiB
— GMFB (@gmfb) February 27, 2020Quinn has shot down the report multiple times, most recently on Tuesday when he said he called Stafford to clarify the team has no plans of trading him.
"And he was great," Quinn said. "He was, 'I don't want to go anywhere.'"
Stafford, 32, was in the midst of a career season last year before missing the second half due to a back injury. The Lions expect more of the same from him in 2020.
Stafford Says He'll Be 'Good To Go' For Offseason Program
"I think he did a phenomenal job last year with Darrell Bevell and putting the offense in. Something he really attacked from day one," Patricia said. "Coming into the building he's the same guy every day, works extremely hard, holds everyone accountable, so you knew it was going to go in a good direction. … His approach last year was amazing."
Patricia also had a message for the fans, inspired by his experience last weekend at the Garth Brooks concert at Ford Field.
"The energy in that building, as soon as I walked in that place, right away, I'm like, 'Man, we gotta win. We gotta get this going for the fans. They gotta feel this energy, this excitement,'" he said. "That's really all they want.
"I just want to go out and win. I want to try to build a team the right way where we can do that, week in and week out, and just give the fans what they deserve."
