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David Blough was a quarterback at Purdue from 2015-18. During his senior season, Blough completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,705 yards, 25 TD and 10 INT.
He went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. He signed with the Cleveland Browns but then was traded to the Detroit Lions involving seventh round picks.
Thursday, on Thanksgiving, Blough made his first start as a third-string QB. He immediately lit it up:
DAVID BLOUGH IS NOT HERE TO MESS AROUND 😱
First completion is a 75-yard TD to Kenny Golladay.
(via @Lions)pic.twitter.com/OSuU3qhDri
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 28, 2019
RELATED: David Blough set all kinds of records in the first half of his first NFL start
Blough finished 22-of-38 for 280 yards, 2 TD and one INT. The Lions lost 24-20.
Despite the loss, social media was impressed by Blough’s performance:
Believe it or not, this game might've been a big money-maker for David Blough. Looked pretty competent in there under tough circumstances. And there's good money in being a career backup at his position.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/Lions_and_Bees/status/1200166717797863426
Survival in Detroit. Bears thankful they were playing 3-win Lions, but it still makes them 6-6. Trubisky responded in second half, Anthony Miller came up big and Eddie Jackson gets annual Thanksgiving interception. David Blough probably deserved better but Bears will take it.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) November 28, 2019
A close loss on Thanksgiving and the emergence of David Blough as a solid backup potential isn’t the worst scenario in this disaster of a season
— Brand New Lions 🦁 (@JustWinDetroit) November 28, 2019
If David Blough says it's incomplete on Thanksgiving then baby it's incomplete
— Patrick Claybon (@PatrickClaybon) November 28, 2019
The Lions got an impressive effort from QB David Blough, but lose to the Bears. https://t.co/YanKMZOWQx
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 28, 2019
David Blough has more touchdown passes in the month of November than Jared Goff
— kev (@kevinmarth) November 28, 2019
David Blough pic.twitter.com/CsODsbzAgV
— Surb (@Itheus) November 28, 2019
Even though the Detroit Lions lost I'm not upset and I am pretty proud of David Blough.
Before the game even began my mind had them losing a lot worse than that. Plus Blough's first start in the NFL and the Thanksgiving game to boot. There had to be a lot of pressure on him.
— Stephie🦁 (@StephGelletta) November 28, 2019
QB David Blough gave the Lions a chance, but Detroit defense was not good enough as Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky led Chicago back late for 24-20 win. 🏈 https://t.co/2iMtrEGaFW
— TheDailyTimes (@TheDailyTimes) November 28, 2019
Here’s Blough after the game:
David Blough says it was a dream come true to get the start. “One of the coolest things was the amount of support I had.” Says guys like Amendola constantly were coming up to him and reminding him they had his back. pic.twitter.com/9HKEFjylx7
— Jeanna Trotman (@JeannaTrotmanTV) November 28, 2019
It doesn’t seem as though this is the last we’ll see of Blough. Even if Lions starting QB Matthew Stafford comes back from injury next week and Blough doesn’t start, he impressed. Some team — if not the Lions — will give him a chance in the future.
We learned that much this Thanksgiving.
Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.