Matthew Stafford is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. Stafford played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs before the Lions picked him first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Thanks to his rocket arm, Stafford was the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season, and was the fastest player to reach 40,000 passing yards (having Calvin Johnson helps, but still).
Stafford also holds the NFL record for the most comeback wins in a season, recording a whopping 8 in the 2016 NFL season. In 2017, he signed a $135-million contract extension. This deep into his career, Stafford has earned the reputation of an above average quarterback who is unable to get his team over the hump.
In 2005, Stafford led his team to a perfect 15–0 record and won the Division I State Championship. Stafford threw for over 4,000 yards passing even though he had a knee injury at the start of the season. He received all sorts of accolades, from the Parade All-America Team to the USA Today Pre-Season Super 25 in 2005 to the 2005 EA Sports National Player of the Year.
Stafford enjoyed a successful career in his three seasons as a Georgia Bulldog. He threw for 7,731 yards and 51 touchdowns with a 133 passer rating over the course of his career. His 57% completion rate left room for improvement, but Stafford has ironed that out in his pro career.
In his rookie year, Stafford threw his first career touchdown to Calvin Johnson, the first connection of a long and fruitful tandem for years to come.
Stafford arrived just at the outset of the league's passing boom, so he was setting records left and right. He became the only quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns over a four-game span. He led the Lions to their first playoff appearance in over 10 years that season.
On July 7, 2013, Stafford agreed to a massive three-year, $53 million extension with the Lions.
In the ensuing years, Stafford has been a quality QB that has been unable to push his team over the mountaintop, thanks to poor signings and moves from his front office.
Stafford has a reported net worth of $60 million.
He has endorsement deals with Nike, PepsiCo, Fanatics, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Ford Motor, Panini and St. Joe's Hospital.
On August 28, 2017, Stafford signed a 5-year, $135 million extension with the Lions.
Stafford is very close friends with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw since the two went to high school together.
Stafford is married to former Georgia Bulldogs cheerleader Kelly Stafford, and they have four children. In 2019, Kelly revealed on Instagram that she had a brain tumor, so Stafford took time off to help his wife.
In 2015, Stafford donated $1 million to the S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center.
"I really like 'Gladiator.' I like 'The Dark Knight.' I really liked, when I was a kid, 'U.S. Marshalls.' I like funny movies, too. 'Old School' and 'The Hangover.' 'The Hangover' was up there; I liked it."
He doesn't have social media.
He left high school early to attend college.
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