Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow will both be playing their first Super Bowl on Sunday.
Each quarterback was selected at No. 1 overall, though it took Stafford 12 seasons and a change of scenery to become a conference champion.
Burrow accomplished the feat in just two seasons — and he did it coming off a torn ACL.
While they won’t be on the field at the same time, the quarterback matchup between the two players is one of the most intriguing aspects of Super Bowl LVI. Stafford had plenty of complimentary things to say about Burrow during his Wednesday press conference.
“He’s a really talented guy, really talented football player,” Stafford said. “Great competitor. Very even keel. Throws it great, moves around great. I think he does a great job, for a young player, of dissecting defenses, understanding where the football should go. And then he does a nice job of putting the ball in spots where guys can go make plays for him. I’ve been a fan of his since he was at LSU — loved the way he played, loved the way he competed there. And that’s just done nothing but carry over into this league.
“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.”
Burrow — who turned 25 in December — has completed 69 percent of his passes for 842 yards with four touchdowns and a pair of interceptions in this year’s postseason, while putting together a pair of game-winning drives.
