Lions QB Matthew Stafford reportedly played part of the 2018 NFL season with a broken back. Mike O'Hara of DetroitLions.com said recently on an episode of his podcast that "He (Stafford) had broken bones in his back" during the 2018 season.

There is no word on exactly when the injury occurred. Stafford was listed on the team's injury report with a back injury following a Week 13 loss to the Rams in which Stafford took 11 hits, however the injury wasn't specified.

Stafford also left the Lions' Week 1 game against the Jets after taking two brutal hits to the chest, but did return. 

He still started every game of the 2018 season, extending his Iron man streak to 128 games, trailing only Brett Favre, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Matt Ryan.

The 31-year old pivot passed for 3,777 yards in 2018, the lowest of any season in which he played 16 games.  His 21 touchdowns were his least since 2012.