Discover the career path of Matthew Stafford, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
John Matthew Stafford is a professional football quarterback currently playing for the Los Angeles Rams. Drafted first overall by the Detroit Lions in 2009, he played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. Stafford ranks among the NFL's all-time leaders in passing attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns. He holds the record for being the fastest player to reach 40,000 career passing yards and is sixth all-time in passing yards per game, solidifying his status as a prominent quarterback in the league.
1950: Comeback Record
On November 20, Matthew Stafford became the first quarterback since at least 1950 to win back to back games after trailing by at least 20 points.
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1953: Georgia Player Drafted First Overall
On April 24, 2009, Stafford became the fourth player out of Georgia to be the first overall selection in the draft and the first since Harry Babcock in 1953.
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1956: Lions since 1956
Week 5 Matthew Stafford orchestrated a 24–13 win over the Chicago Bears, going 19 of 26 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. This marked the first time the Lions had gone 5–0 since 1956, the year before they won their last NFL Championship.
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1968: Rookie Start
On September 6, 2009, Matthew Stafford became the first Lions rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since Greg Landry in 1968.
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1991: True freshman quarterback
In January, Matthew Stafford became the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Georgia Bulldogs football team out of high school since Eric Zeier in 1991.
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1998: True freshman quarterback
In January, Matthew Stafford became the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Georgia Bulldogs football team since Quincy Carter in 1998.
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1999: Playoff drought ends
In 2011, Matthew Stafford helped lead the Lions to their first playoff appearance since 1999.
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2002: Best Record Since
In 2008, Matthew Stafford helped lead Georgia to an 11-2 record, their best mark since the 2002 season.
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2005: State Championship and Accolades
In 2005, Matthew Stafford led his team to a perfect 15-0 record, winning the UIL 4A Division I State Championship and earning numerous accolades.
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2006: Collegiate Debut
In 2006, Matthew Stafford debuted for the Georgia Bulldogs, contributing to their victory against Western Kentucky, and later stepped in as starting quarterback due to an injury.
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2006: High School Quarterback Ranking
In 2006, Matthew Stafford was considered one of the best high school quarterbacks in the United States.
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2006: Top Prospect Ranking
In 2006, Matthew Stafford was listed as the No. 1 pro-style quarterback prospect by Rivals.com.
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2007: Winning Streak
In 2008, The team entered the 2008 season with the longest active winning streak among the 66 BCS conference teams, having won its last seven games of the 2007 season.
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2007: End Losing Streak
In September 2009, Matthew Stafford helped the Lions snap a 19-game losing streak going back to the 2007 season.
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2007: Season Opener Win
In September 2011, Stafford played well, throwing for 305 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in a 27-20 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first season opener the Lions had won since 2007.
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April 2008: Projected Number One Pick
In April 2008, NFL analysts predicted that Matthew Stafford would be the number one pick in the 2009 NFL draft if he chose to leave school early.
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2008: Sugar Bowl Victory
In 2008, Matthew Stafford led Georgia to a 41-10 rout of the Hawaii Warriors in the Sugar Bowl, contributing with 175 passing yards and a touchdown pass.
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2008: Preseason Recognition and Record-Setting Season
In 2008, Matthew Stafford was named to Athlon Sports' preseason Heisman Favorites list and led Georgia to a No. 1 preseason ranking. He also set personal collegiate highs and finished the season with a conference-leading performance.
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April 24, 2009: Contract Agreement with Detroit Lions
On April 24, 2009, Matthew Stafford agreed to contract terms with the Detroit Lions, becoming the first overall pick of the 2009 NFL draft.
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September 6, 2009: Starting Quarterback Announcement
On September 6, 2009, Jim Schwartz announced that Matthew Stafford would be the Lions' starting quarterback.
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November 22, 2009: Five Touchdown Game and Shoulder Injury
On November 22, 2009, Matthew Stafford threw five touchdowns in a win over the Cleveland Browns, becoming the youngest quarterback to do so, and threw the game winning touchdown pass despite a separated shoulder.
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2009: Primary Starter for the Lions
In 2009, Matthew Stafford became the primary starter for the Detroit Lions.
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2009: Drafted by Detroit Lions
In 2009, Matthew Stafford was selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in the NFL draft.
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2009: Capital One Bowl MVP and NFL Draft Entry
In 2009, Matthew Stafford won the MVP of the Capital One Bowl, finished his Georgia career with a strong bowl game record, and chose to enter the NFL Draft.
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July 30, 2010: Contract Record
Matthew Stafford's contract with Detroit contained $41.7 million in guaranteed money, the most guaranteed to any player in NFL history until July 30, 2010.
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2010: Shoulder Surgery and Season Ending Injury
In 2010, Matthew Stafford had surgery on his throwing shoulder, ending his season.
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2011: Breakout Year
In 2011, Stafford had a breakout year, becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a single season and leading the Lions to their first playoff appearance since 1999.
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January 1, 2012: Stafford Reaches 5,000 Passing Yards
On January 1, 2012, Matthew Stafford became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 passing yards in a season after recording a career-high 520 passing yards against the Green Bay Packers. In this game, Stafford threw an interception on an attempted 37-yard touchdown pass that, had he been successful, he would've broken Norm Van Brocklin's record for most yards in a game.
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July 7, 2013: Stafford Signs Extension with Lions
On July 7, 2013, Matthew Stafford agreed to a three-year, $53 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions, with $41.5 million guaranteed through 2017.
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2014: Pro Bowl Honors
In 2014, Matthew Stafford led the Lions to a playoff run and earned Pro Bowl honors.
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December 13, 2015: Stafford Reaches 25,000 Passing Yards
On December 13, 2015, Matthew Stafford reached 25,000 passing yards in his 90th career game, becoming the fastest quarterback to reach this milestone, surpassing the previous record held by Dan Marino of 92 games.
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2015: Stafford Donated to S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center
In 2015, Matthew Stafford donated $1 million to the S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center.
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December 11, 2016: Stafford Breaks Fourth Quarter Comeback Record
On December 11, 2016, Matthew Stafford broke Peyton Manning's NFL record of most fourth quarter comebacks in a season with eight.
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2016: NFL Record for Comeback Wins
In 2016, Matthew Stafford led the Lions to a playoff run and set the NFL season record for comeback wins.
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August 28, 2017: Stafford Signs Contract Extension, Highest Paid NFL Player
On August 28, 2017, Matthew Stafford signed a 5-year, $135 million contract extension with $92 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid player in the NFL at the time.
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2020: End of Lions Tenure
In 2020, Matthew Stafford's time as the Lions' primary starter came to an end after he and the team mutually agreed to part ways.
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2020: Stafford Family Donated to University of Georgia
Prior to the 2020 NFL season, the Stafford family donated $1.5 million to the University of Georgia for social justice initiatives and scholarships.
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March 18, 2021: Stafford Traded to the Rams
On March 18, 2021, Matthew Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
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2021: Stafford Family Donated to Detroit Educational Center
Around 2021, the Stafford family donated $1 million to fund an educational center in Detroit.
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2021: Trade to Rams and Super Bowl Victory
In 2021, Matthew Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams and subsequently led them to victory in Super Bowl LVI.
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March 19, 2022: Stafford Signed Four-Year Extension with Rams
On March 19, 2022, Matthew Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Los Angeles Rams.
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