In the midst of another attempt at a chance to play for the Lombardi trophy, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had his jersey retired at Highland Park High School in University Park, Texas. He played quarterback for the Highland Park Scots football team from 2003 to 2006, earning a five-star recruiting grade and winning the UIL 4A Division 1 State Championship as a junior in 2005.
The Rams’ official Twitter account made note of the weekend ceremony, posting pictures of the affair along with an obligatory reminder that he attended Highland Park with Los Angeles Dodgers ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
QB1 getting his No. 7 jersey retired at Highland Park High School over the weekend. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/4PBVaRnohb
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 12, 2022
Matthew also went to high school with @ClaytonKersh22. Some people forget that.
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 12, 2022
Stafford’s old stomping ground was at the center of Texas high school football on the night of the jersey retirement, and the pictures of the occasion seem to show how humbled and honored he was by the school’s gesture. This is sure to be one of many ceremonies that Stafford will attend in the twilight years of his NFL career, and with accomplishments still rolling in for him every season, he may even receive a gold jacket in Canton someday.
For now, though, Stafford is squarely focused on winning football games for the Rams as they seek to earn their second consecutive Super Bowl victory in the 2022 season. A disappointing Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills last week certainly didn’t mar the signal caller’s charisma during his big night back under the lights of the stadium where his journey to the NFL began.
With the full support of his hometown, and maybe even that of his old running mate Kershaw, Stafford should have all the tailwind he needs to play his heart out through the rest of the regular season. It will take a team effort to get the Rams back through the playoffs for a chance to play in February, but for his part, Stafford looks set to play some of the best football of his career through the rest of Los Angeles’ grueling 17-game schedule.
