INDIANAPOLIS -- Just a few minutes before Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia were scheduled to take the podium for press conferences here at the NFL Scouting Combine, a Lions team official texted a handful of beat reporters. Quinn and Patricia wanted to chat on the side first.

Huddled in a corner at the Indianapolis Convention Center, Quinn didn’t beat around the bush.

“In terms of the whole rumor on Stafford, I think I texted a lot of people here that it’s, like, 100% false,” Quinn said unprompted. "If I have to add a third exclamation point, I will."

Quinn, of course, was alluding to a report from WDIV that said Detroit had talked with multiple teams about trading quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Lions have strongly pushed back against that report, saying it’s false. Or as Quinn texted, “100% false!!”

The report never made sense in the first place because Detroit is facing a win-now mandate from ownership. So it really wouldn’t make very much sense to get rid of Stafford now, after he played at an MVP-like level last season -- especially since it would actually cost more money for Stafford to play for another team than in Detroit.

Would the Lions really want to pay more money for their best player to play for another team just as they were headed into a win-now season?

Quinn was caught so off guard by the report that he had to call Stafford to deny any trade talks had taken place.

“When the story came out, I called Matthew and I said, ‘Listen, I haven’t had one conversation. I’m not trying -- we’re not trading you, period,’” Quinn said. “And he was great. He was, ‘I don’t want to go anywhere.’”

That kills another rumor going around -- that someone in the Stafford camp planted the trade story to help grease the skids for a possible exit. Kelly Stafford, wife of Matthew, fueled those rumors by posting about the trade rumors on social media and saying she would love to live in California. The Chargers are looking for another quarterback after splitting with Philip Rivers.

But Quinn said Matthew Stafford doesn’t want to go anywhere.

“I don’t follow the social media stuff, so I don’t really have any comment on any posts,” Quinn said. “I have a great relationship with Matthew, I know coach does, and it’s all good.”

Asked directly if Matthew Stafford has asked for a trade, Quinn said: “Has not. Nope.”

Added Patricia: “I really think it’s just all unfortunate. It just doesn’t make any sense. When you dive into a lot of that stuff, it’s like 'what the ... It’s kind of ridiculous.”

Stafford has three years remaining on his contract. And with cap hit of just $21.3 million next season -- 21st in the league -- it’s actually rather reasonable for a player who still is at the height of his powers. He passed for more yards than any other quarterback in the first half of last season, and did so while posting a career-high 106.0 passer rating. He led the league in 25-yard passes while throwing just five interceptions, and ranked among the six best quarterbacks in the game according to all the major passing metrics.

Detroit ranked third in passing offense, and was in the top five in overall offense.

Still just 32 years old, the Lions believe Stafford has a lot of good football left in him. There are no plans to make a change at quarterback.

“He’s our guy," Quinn said. "That’s all I can say.”

Of course, Stafford also missed the second half of last season with a broken back. That’s his third back injury in two years, which has heightened concerns about the long-term health of the quarterback. Some are wondering whether the Lions should entertain using the third overall pick to draft a quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa.

Quinn and Patricia declined to discuss Tagovailoa specifically, but said Stafford remains their quarterback. They also said Stafford has already begun working out, there are no long-term concerns about the back and he should be good to go for the start of the offseason program.

“Matthew’s feeling good," Quinn said. "Talked to Matthew a week or two ago and he’s feeling really good. Training full, and he’ll be full-go for offseason program.”

How does Quinn know when the time is right to use a resource like the No. 3 overall pick to begin moving on from a player?

“The one thing about Matthew is his No. 1 trait is still the same as when I came here four-and-a-half years ago,” Quinn said. "He still has that great arm strength. He’s a competitor. He’s tough. He’s sneaky athletic. I think he’s improved his athleticism a little bit over his career. He does a great job taking care of his body.

"So, you take all those things into consideration, just like any other player. Are they ascending, or are they declining? I think it’s different for every position in terms of how old they are. In my opinion, when you’re a quarterback, your prime is your late-twenties into your early-thirties. That’s your prime, because you take your first part of your career and you’re working on all those other things.

“As we saw, how did Matthew play last year when he was out there? I think everyone would agree he played really good. So that’s what we’re expecting when he comes back.”