Say what you will about Matthew Stafford's career in Detroit, but since the team selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, he's brought something that was badly needed previously at the quarterback position: stability.
Though he had trouble staying on the field during his first two NFL seasons, Stafford has largely been an automatic in terms of being on the field during his career. Between 2011 and 2018, the Lions played 128 games, and Stafford started all 128 of those games. A back injury limited Stafford to just eight games in 2019, but he again has started all 12 of the team's games in 2020.
In the years leading up to Stafford's arrival, the Lions had nothing resembling stability at the position, to the point where you may have forgotten that some relatively notable players had stints under center in Detroit. Here's a look at five players whose Lions' tenures may have slipped your find, including a few that got starts at quarterback:
Jeff Garcia
Like many quarterbacks, Jeff Garcia had a stint in Detroit during the 2000s.
(Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images)
Whether it's Jordan Love or someone else, there will eventually be a new quarterback in Green Bay that has to follow up Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Garcia was that guy in San Francisco, following up Joe Montana and Steve Young. Garcia started games for the 49ers in parts of five seasons, before playing with the lowly Cleveland Browns in 2004. After that didn't work out, Garcia signed a one-year deal with the Lions ahead of the 2005 season, reuniting him with Steve Mariucci, his former coach in San Francisco. Garcia broke his fibula in the preseason, an unfortunate precursor for how unsuccessful his one season in Detroit would be. Garcia started five games for the Lions in 2005, playing musical chairs with former No. 3 overall pick Joey Harrington. In the five games that Garcia started, the Lions went 1-4, and he tossed just three touchdowns to six interceptions. Luckily for him, he landed with Andy Reid in Philadelphia the next season, and got a chance to lead the Eagles to the playoffs after Donovan McNabb suffered a season-ending injury.
Rudi Johnson
Rudi Johnson spent a season in Detroit.
(Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Though most remember him more for his seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Johnson's final NFL campaign came as a member of the 2008 Lions. And well, nothing about the 2008 Lions was uneventful. Johnson was cut by the Bengals late in the preseason, and eventually landed with the Lions, at the expense of Tatum Bell. Though Bell would ultimately call the situation "a misunderstanding," Johnson accused him of stealing his bags, saying that the team had shown him security footage of Johnson leaving with his property. Johnson would rush for just 237 yards in 14 games for the Lions, who became the first 0-16 team in NFL history in 2008. It was Johnson's final season, though the story of his bags being stolen sticks out more than anything he did on the field.
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper was part of the winless Lions team.
(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Culpepper retired in September of 2008, and frankly, it probably would have been in the best interests of the former Minnesota Vikings' star to stay retired. Instead, the Lions lured him out of retirement by offering a two-year deal that he agreed to in November of 2008. Culpepper would start five games for the team in 2008, of course going 0-5 on a team that didn't win a single game. The three-time Pro Bowler didn't have much better luck in 2009, also going 0-5 in games that he started. In total, Culpepper tossed seven touchdowns to 12 interceptions during his time with the Lions, while displaying none of the mobility that allowed him to thrive earlier in his career.
Larry Foote
Larry Foote was brought to Detroit to help change the culture.
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Foote, a Detroit native, agreed to a one-year deal to join the Lions ahead of the 2009 season, hoping to help dig the team out after the worst season in NFL history. Most known for his time with the Steelers, Foote had one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 99 total tackles for the Lions in 2009. Ultimately, in their first season under Jim Schwartz, the team went just 2-14. That said, it's hard to quantify the effect Foote may have had on changing the culture in Detroit, because while he would return to Pittsburgh in 2010, the Lions gradually improved over the coming seasons, making a playoff appearance in 2011.
David Akers
David Akers spent his final season with the Lions.
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Akers is the 15th leading scorer in NFL history, having racked up 1,721 points in his career. The overwhelming majority of those points came as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, the team Akers kicked for from 1999-2010. However, after two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, the Lions signed Akers to kick for them in 2013. In his age-39 season, Akers, voted a team captain, converted on 79.2% of his field goal attempts, doing so for a Lions team that went 7-9. 2013 proved to be the final season in the career of Akers.
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