Matthew Stafford
From Lions legend to Super Bowl champion, Matthew Stafford rewrote the record books.
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, receiving first-team All-American honors in 2008, and was selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL draft. Ranking in the top 10 of all time in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns, Stafford is currently sixth all time in passing yards per game and the fastest player in NFL history to have reached 40,000 career passing yards.
Quick Facts
- Draft
- 1st overall, 2009 NFL Draft
- College
- University of Georgia
- Pro bowl selections
- 1
Lore & Background
As the Lions' primary starter from 2009 to 2020, Stafford had a breakout year in 2011 when he became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season, while also leading Detroit to their first playoff appearance since 1999. He helped the Lions reach the playoffs two more times in 2014 and 2016, earning Pro Bowl honors during the former and tying the NFL season record for comeback wins in the latter. After mutually agreeing to part ways with the Lions, Stafford was traded to the Rams in 2021 and led them to victory in Super Bowl LVI. In 2025, Stafford led the league in passing yards and touchdowns for the first time in his career, earning him NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors.
Reader's Guide
Stafford was born on February 7, 1988, in Tampa, Florida, to John and Margaret Stafford. He lived in Dunwoody, Georgia, while John attended graduate school at the University of Georgia. Stafford has an older sister named Page. His family then moved to Dallas, Texas, and Stafford attended Highland Park High School with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. He was coached by Randy Allen and was widely considered to be one of the best high school quarterbacks in the United States in the class of 2006, ranked ahead of Tim Tebow. In 2005, Stafford led his team to a perfect 15–0 record and won the UIL 4A Division I State Championship. During the playoff run, Stafford beat Ryan Mallett's Texarkana Texas 38–31, as well as Jevan Snead's Stephenville 41–38. Stafford had over 4,000 yards passing despite not playing in the first three games of the season due to a knee injury. Stafford received numerous accolades, including being named to the Parade All-America Team and the USA Today Pre-Season Super 25 in 2005. He also won the 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 listed as the No. 1 pro-style quarterback prospect in the class of 2006 by Rivals.com. Before he had even started a game at the collegiate level, analyst Mel Kiper Jr. predicted, correctly, that Stafford would eventually be the first pick in the NFL draft.
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