When Bryson Machonga decided to sell his autographed Detroit Lions Matthew Stafford jersey so he could take his daughter to an NFL playoff game, he hoped the quarterback would understand.

Turns out, the longtime Lion did more than that.

Stafford and his new team, the Los Angeles Rams, recently sent Machonga a new signed Lions jersey.

At first, Machonga said he thought it was a scam. But after a text conversation with a Rams official, he realized Stafford actually wanted to send him a real jersey.

"I was over the moon. … Disbelief at the start. But then it just turned into resounding joy, excitement," Machonga said in a recent phone interview.

"It just reconfirmed who Matthew Stafford is. He had no reason to go about doing this. He had no gain. He's not our quarterback anymore ... he went out of his way in a playoff week."

Machonga and his 8-year-old daughter, Kinsley, drove from their home in Appleton, Wisconsin, to watch the Lions take on the Commanders in an NFL divisional playoff game. In order to afford the pricey tickets, Machonga sold a Stafford jersey he had owned for more than a decade, along with some additional memorabilia. He said he loved Stafford, but wanted to create a lifelong memory with his eldest daughter.

Before the game, Machonga and his daughter watched players warm up. Kinsley talked about how much she enjoyed watching her favorite players dance after a touchdown. Despite the outcome, the older Machonga said they had a delightful time.

Then a few days after the game, he got a message on social media. Stafford saw the article in the Free Press and asked an equipment manager with the Rams for help, according to the messages. The manager connected with Machonga, and shared an image of his text exchange with Stafford.

"I don't have social media etc but can we find this guy and send him a jersey of mine," Stafford appears to text to an equipment manager with the Rams, sending a photograph that included the Free Press story.

A package arrived shortly thereafter. It contained a Lions jersey worn by Stafford during the 2014 season — when he helmed an 11-5 squad, the best record he earned during his 12 seasons in Detroit — and personalized message for Bryson thanking him for his support.

The Rams did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Machonga said he wants to frame the message Stafford sent — he can't believe one of his football idols wanted to help him. The whole event made him love Stafford and football even more.

"No disrespect to Jared Goff, I love what Jared Goff has done for the Lions. But this is why (Stafford is) QB1 for me, forever," Machonga said. "What he's doing now, it goes beyond football.

"It's what sports are meant to do, bring people closer together. He did that — it speaks to his character."

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Matthew Stafford sends Lions jersey to dad who sold his for tickets