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Did Matthew Stafford Play Baseball With Clayton Kershaw Growing Up?

Reese Patanjo
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Matthew Stafford, Clayton Kershaw

Matthew Stafford was spotted at the Dodgers game last night, not just cheering for his home team but also showing love for Clayton Kershaw.

For those who didn’t know, the pitching legend was making his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium, and having Stafford there surely made the moment even more special. Fans were also surprised to learn that the two go way back. They grew up together, were friends, and even played the same sport.

That’s right, Stafford and Kershaw used to play baseball together as kids. The NFL quarterback was asked about it in an interview during the game, and he proceeded to take a trip down memory lane.

“I got to see this guy at the beginning, and being able to see him do it now for so many years here in LA has been incredible. I didn’t want to miss this… I’m so happy it fell on a night that I could be here,” Stafford first expressed (via MLB on Twitter).

When Stafford thought back to growing up with Kershaw, he had nothing but good things to say.

“I’ll always remember playing baseball, playing catch with this kid way back in the day. Dallas, Texas, growing up, figuring out the sports world together,” Stafford added.

In response to the clip, not only fans, but the LA Rams as an entity were surprised to learn that the two athletes grew up together playing baseball.

And play together, they did. The pair attended Dallas Highland Park High School and even won a state championship in baseball. Stafford played catcher, catching for Kershaw, who was the team’s top pitcher. They also played basketball and soccer together.

It doesn’t stop there, though. Stafford and Kershaw have been friends since they were 7 years old. That’s why it was a pretty big deal in 2021 when the star QB was traded to LA. Not only did the team get one of the best QBs in the league, but they also reunited two childhood friends who were suddenly the toast of the town. Additionally, they both now have championship rings to show for it. 

It’s quite a coincidence that their sporting paths continue to cross all these years later, but it’s also pretty cool that Stafford still finds the time to support his childhood friend whenever he can. He comes across as a true friend who genuinely cares about his old high school teammate.

Post Edited By:Samnur Reza

About the author

Reese Patanjo

Reese Patanjo

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Reese is an NFL Journalist for The SportsRush. He was a University of Oregon graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in writing and communications. A fan of the NFL since he was young, Reese is a Dallas Cowboys fan at heart. However, his favorite NFL moment was the 54-51 Monday night game between the Rams and Chiefs in 2018. Reese's favorite player changes with time but currently he reps Trevon Diggs and CeeDee Lamb jerseys. When he isn't watching the NFL, you can find Reese engulfed in any of the other major sports. He's a massive MLB fan, go Red Sox. He also loves the NBA and College Basketball. But pretty much any sport, Soccer, NHL, PGA,- you name it, Reese watches.

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