LOS ANGELES — While much has been made about Sunday's showdown between two No. 1 picks, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said he's been a fan of Burrow for a while now.
"I've been a fan of his since he was at LSU," Stafford said. "Loved the way he played, loved the way he competed there and that's just done nothing but carry over into this league."
Stafford was the No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft, selected after three years at the University of Georgia. He spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions before being traded to Los Angeles in 2021. Though he was the fastest player to reach 45,000 career passing yards, Stafford was not able to get a postseason win in Detroit.
It has taken Stafford longer to reach the Super Bowl than any other quarterback selected first. Meanwhile, Burrow made the Super Bowl in just his second season — marking the fastest a top quarterback pick has made the big game.
"He's in this game because he's willed that team to a bunch of wins and that's an impressive thing for a guy of his age," Stafford said.
Burrow was not the only Bengals player Stafford praised. He called Burrow's connection with LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase "as good of chemistry as you can get when it comes to down-the-field shots."
"(Chase) has done an unbelievable job coming down with a bunch of them, and same with Tee Higgins and some of their other guys as well," Stafford said.
Though the two Nos. 9 said they have never met, Stafford said in an interview with Rich Eisen the only time he wasn't rooting for Burrow in college was when he led LSU to a victory over his alma mater.
"Not so much a fan that day, but all the other days," said Stafford.
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