ATHENS — Super Bowl champ Matthew Stafford acknowledges he needs to start showing more school spirit when it comes to his Georgia Bulldogs.
Stafford, who played at UGA from 2006-2008 before being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, recently revealed his awkward nature.
FLASHBACK: How Matthew Stafford led Los Angeles Rams to Super Bowl victory
“I actually get wildly uncomfortable when people, like, bark at me,” Stafford said, referring to how rabid Georgia Bulldogs’ fans sometimes express their enthusiasm.
“I’ll be walking down the street and they’ll be like ‘Go Dawgs,’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah.’ I don’t ever give them the ‘Go Dawgs’ back. It just doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t know why.”
What Stafford indicated he does know is that his wife — and fellow UGA alum, Kelly — would likely want him showing more love for the Bulldogs in public interactions.
When the Barstool Sports host suggested to Stafford that he needed to start barking back at Georgia fans, the Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback agreed.
“I need to,” Stafford replied. “My wife is from Georgia, so I’ve got to make her proud.”
Stafford and his wife donated $1.5 million to the University of Georgia toward the school’s social justice programs and scholarships four years ago.
“Being able to give back to Georgia and help college kids that—it’s some of your most formative years, when you’re learning about who you are and who you want to be,” Stafford said in an interview from August of 2020.
“We’re lucky to partner with the athletic association, the football team that’s creating an incredible program there. We’re happy to be a part of that.”
Stafford said the donation was “very widespread,” adding that it will help both athletes and non-athletes.
“We’re just trying to make as big an impact as we possibly can,” Stafford said, “in a time where we feel like it’s extremely relevant to do so.”
Good fortune followed the Staffords’ gifts, with Georgia winning back-to-back CFP Championships following the 2021 and 2022 seasons, while Stafford captured his first Super Bowl title in February of 2022.
Stafford looks to lead the Rams again this season, though he didn’t finish practice on Wednesday on account of a hamstring injury.
Former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is in position as the Los Angeles backup quarterback at this time, as veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo is suspended the first two games of the season on account of violation the league’s substance enhancement performance policy.
