Week one of the NFL ended with a Sunday night kickoff between the LA Rams and the Chicago Bears. Both teams featured former Georgia Bulldogs that have since moved onto successful careers in the National Football League.
One of those notable former players to wear the red and black was quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford spent three seasons in Athens (2006-2008), where he accumulated 7,731 yards and 51 touchdowns, breaking the single-season touchdown record in 2008 (25) that DJ Shockley once held.
Stafford would forgo his senior season in Athens and become the first pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, where the Detroit Lions made the former Dallas, Texas native their franchise quarterback for 12 seasons. That twelve-year tenure as the Lions quarterback ended this offseason when he was traded to the contending LA Rams.
On his third play from scrimmage, Stafford connected with Van Jefferson on a 67-yard touchdown pass. That drive-ending play would serve as a quick summary of what the Rams offense would do through four quarters with Stafford at quarterback.
Stafford finished with 321 yards, three touchdowns while completing 20 of his 26 passes. In week one, Stafford's explosive three-touchdown debut in LA would help lead the Rams to a 34-14 win over the Chicago Bears.
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