ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that surgery is still an option for Matthew Stafford’s injured right shoulder.
Stafford saw specialist Dr. James Andrews on Monday and the Detroit Lions released a statement saying Andrews’s diagnosis was “consistent with the evaluation and diagnosis” of the team’s medical staff.
With that news, the Lions said that Stafford would continue rehabilitating his shoulder and a return this season wasn’t ruled out.
However, Mortensen also had this:
The source also said that Stafford could opt for a cortisone injection after rehabbing the shoulder during the next two weeks to see if he could return before the end of the season.
So it appears that there won’t be any decisions made for at least two weeks.
If Stafford makes progress in his rehabilitation, a cortisone shot could reduce inflammation and perhaps he could play again. But if there’s still pain, reduced range of motion and/or inability to throw a football, then Stafford would obviously be shut down and the possibility of surgery to fix the shoulder would be raised again.