John Matthew Stafford born February 7, 1988 is an American professional football quarterback currently playing for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL). Stafford played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft. He ranks among the top 12 in NFL history for pass attempts, completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Stafford is also the fastest player to reach 40,000 career passing yards and ranks fifth all-time in passing yards per game.
Matthew Stafford Biography 2024
From 2009 to 2020, Stafford served as the Lions’ primary starting quarterback. He had a standout season in 2011, throwing for over 5,000 yards, and led Detroit to their first playoff appearance since 1999. Stafford also guided the Lions to playoff appearances in 2014 and 2016, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2014 and setting an NFL record for comeback wins in 2016. After parting ways with the Lions in 2021, Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, where he helped lead the team to victory in Super Bowl LVI.
Matthew Stafford Biography Details
| Born | February 7, 1988 (age 36)
Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
|---|
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
|---|
| Weight | 214 lb (97 kg) |
|---|
| High school | Highland Park (Dallas, Texas) |
|---|
| College | Georgia (2006–2008) |
|---|
| NFL draft | 2009 / round: 1 / pick: 1 |
|---|
Matthew Stafford Early Life
Stafford was born in Tampa, Florida, to parents John and Margaret Stafford. He spent part of his childhood in Dunwoody, Georgia, while his father attended graduate school at the University of Georgia. Stafford has one sibling, an older sister named Page. The family later moved to Dallas, Texas, where Stafford attended Highland Park High School, where he played alongside future MLB pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Under the coaching of Randy Allen, Stafford emerged as one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country in the class of 2006, even ranked higher than Tim Tebow.
In 2005, Stafford led his high school team to a perfect 15-0 record and a UIL 4A Division I State Championship. During the playoffs, he defeated teams led by notable quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Jevan Snead. Despite missing the first three games of the season due to a knee injury, Stafford passed for over 4,000 yards and earned several accolades, including a spot on the Parade All-America Team and the USA Today Pre-Season Super 25. He also won MVP and Best Arm awards at the 2005 EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Camp and was named the 2005 EA Sports National Player of the Year. Regarded as a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Stafford was ranked as the top pro-style quarterback prospect in the 2006 class. Notably, analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had predicted that Stafford would be the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, a prediction that came true.
Matthew Stafford Bio
Attribute | Details |
Full Name | Matthew Stafford |
Date of Birth | February 7, 1988 |
Place of Birth | Tampa, Florida |
Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Weight | 214 lb (97 kg) |
Position | Quarterback |
Current Team | Los Angeles Rams |
NFL Draft | 2009 / Round 1 / Pick 1 |
NFL Career Start | 2009 |
Super Bowl Championships | 1 (LVI) |
Matthew Stafford Early Life
Category | Information |
Place of Birth | Tampa, Florida |
Family | John and Margaret Stafford (parents), one sibling, Page (older sister) |
High School | Highland Park High School, Dallas, Texas |
High School Coach | Randy Allen |
Notable Classmate | Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher) |
High School Achievements | UIL 4A Division I State Championship in 2005, 15–0 record |
Matthew Stafford College Career
Season | Details |
2006 | Freshman season at Georgia, first true freshman QB to start since 1998 |
2007 | Continued as Georgia’s starting QB, improving each year |
2008 | First-Team All-American, Second-Team All-SEC, 3,459 passing yards |
NFL Draft | Declared for 2009 NFL Draft, predicted to be first overall pick |
Matthew Stafford NFL Draft Journey
Attribute | Details |
Draft Year | 2009 |
Draft Position | 1st Overall Pick |
Team Drafted By | Detroit Lions |
Contract Details | 6-year, $78 million contract, $41.7 million guaranteed |
NFL Analyst Prediction | Mel Kiper Jr. predicted Stafford would be the No. 1 pick |
Matthew Stafford Career Highlights
Year | Highlight |
2011 | Set NFL record for most fourth-quarter comebacks in a season |
2011 | NFL Comeback Player of the Year |
2014 | Pro Bowl Selection |
2016 | Most comeback wins in a season (8, tied with Kirk Cousins) |
2021 | Super Bowl LVI Champion with the Rams |
Los Angeles Rams Career
Season | Key Performance |
2021 | Led Rams to Super Bowl victory, throwing for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns |
2022 | Struggled with injuries but maintained solid play with 2,087 yards |
2023 | Strong season with 3,965 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and Pro Bowl selection |
2024 | Continued to perform well, throwing for 2,557 yards in 10 games |
NFL Career Statistics Regular Season
Year | Games Played | Completions | Passing Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Passer Rating |
2009 | 10 | 201 | 2,267 | 13 | 20 | 61.0 |
2011 | 16 | 421 | 5,038 | 41 | 16 | 97.2 |
2014 | 16 | 363 | 4,257 | 22 | 12 | 85.7 |
2016 | 16 | 388 | 4,327 | 24 | 10 | 93.3 |
2021 | 17 | 404 | 4,886 | 41 | 17 | 102.9 |
Postseason Career Stats
Year | Games Played | Completions | Passing Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Passer Rating |
2011 | 1 | 28 | 380 | 3 | 2 | 97.0 |
2014 | 1 | 28 | 323 | 1 | 1 | 87.7 |
2021 | 4 | 98 | 1,188 | 9 | 3 | 108.3 |
2023 | 1 | 25 | 367 | 2 | 0 | 120.9 |
Matthew Stafford NFL Records
Record | Achievement |
Fastest to 40,000 passing yards | Reached milestone in record time |
Most fourth-quarter comebacks in a season | 8 (tied with Kirk Cousins, 2016) |
Career passing yards per game | 307.9 yards |
Career Milestones
Milestone | Year |
First Overall Pick in NFL Draft | 2009 |
Super Bowl Champion | 2021 |
NFL Comeback Player of the Year | 2011 |
Pro Bowl Selections | 2 (2014, 2023) |
Matthew Stafford College Achievements
Award | Year |
First-Team All-American | 2008 |
Second-Team All-SEC | 2008 |
MVP of 2005 EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Camp | 2005 |
Matthew Stafford Career Performance Highlights
Season | Key Stats |
2011 | 5,038 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, 16 interceptions |
2016 | 4,327 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions |
2021 | Super Bowl LVI champion, 4,886 passing yards, 41 touchdowns |
Matthew Stafford Season
Performance | Details |
Games Played | 10 |
Passing Yards | 2,557 |
Matthew Stafford Net Worth
Matthew Stafford’s net worth stands at an impressive $150 million.
Matthew Stafford Summary
Matthew Stafford is a professional quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, previously playing for the Detroit Lions. Drafted first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, he led the Lions to multiple playoff appearances before joining the Rams in 2021. Stafford helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI and is known for setting numerous NFL records, including being the fastest to reach 40,000 passing yards. He was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2011 and has been selected to multiple Pro Bowls. Stafford remains one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history, ranking highly in passing yards, touchdowns, and comebacks.
