Stafford dismisses talk of season-ending surgery
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, sidelined since Oct. 4 when he suffered a partially dislocated right kneecap at Chicago, said he's not worried his injury could end his season.
"That's nothing that anybody is telling me, for sure," Stafford said Monday on his weekly guest spot on WJR's "The Mitch Albom Show/ "Where these rumors come from is beyond me."
A report over the weekend raised that concern after last week's abbreviated return to practice by Stafford -- he tested his knee Wednesday, then sat out the next two days after experiencing more swelling. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews was scheduled to review a new MRI of Stafford's knee in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported.
Asked if the injury might be serious enough to cut short his rookie season, Stafford said, "No, not as of right now at all. And I also heard that apparently I'm in Birmingham right now talking to Dr. Andrews, getting surgery tomorrow, which also isn't true."
Lions coach Jim Schwartz refused to set any timetable Monday for Stafford's return to practice, though, saying, "I don't know if that'll be this week. I don't know if that'll be next week. I don't know if it will be the week after. But as soon as he's ready and he's able to go out there, we'll get him back on the practice field."
