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.
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 setting 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.
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 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 15âÂÂ0 record and won the UIL 4A Division I State Championship. During the playoff run, Stafford beat Ryan Mallett's Texarkana Texas 38âÂÂ31, as well as Jevan Snead's Stephenville 41âÂÂ38. 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.
Stafford graduated early from high school and enrolled at the University of Georgia in January, where he became the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Georgia Bulldogs football team since Quincy Carter in 1998, and first out of high school to start since Eric Zeier in 1991. Stafford wore number 7 at Georgia. He completed five of 12 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown in a Georgia spring game.
Stafford debuted late in the season opener of the 2006 season against Western Kentucky and went 3 of 5 passing for 40 yards and a touchdown pass in the 48âÂÂ12 victory. During the season's second game, against South Carolina, starting quarterback Joe Tereshinski III was injured, forcing Stafford to come off the bench. Although he completed just 8 of 19 passes for 171 yards and three interceptions, Georgia won the game, 18âÂÂ0. Against University of Alabama Birmingham the following week, Stafford made his first collegiate start. Georgia won, 34âÂÂ0. Victories over Colorado and Ole Miss improved Georgia's record to 5âÂÂ0, but the heart of the conference schedule loomed.
The rest of the season was inconsistent for Stafford and the Bulldogs. Following home losses to both Tennessee and Vanderbilt, head coach Mark Richt named Stafford the starter for the rest of the season ahead of Tereshinski. Stafford completed 20 of 32 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns in a 27âÂÂ24 win over Mississippi State, and was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Week for his efforts. Statistically, he had his best game of the season against the No. 5 Auburn Tigers. Stafford finished the game 14 of 20 for 219 yards and a touchdown, and added 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries in Georgia's 37âÂÂ15 upset victory. The following week, Stafford led the Bulldogs on a 12-play, 64-yard drive and threw a late game-winning touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi in Georgia's 15âÂÂ12 victory over No. 16 Georgia Tech.
Stafford completed his freshman season by leading Georgia to a 31âÂÂ24 come-from-behind victory over Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, after the Bulldogs trailed 21âÂÂ3 at halftime. Stafford threw for 129 yards and a second half touchdown to spark the comeback and allow Georgia to finish the season with a 9âÂÂ4 record. Stafford finished with 1,749 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
Stafford threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 35âÂÂ14 in the season opener. Following a 16âÂÂ12 loss to South Carolina and a 45âÂÂ16 victory over Western Carolina, the Bulldogs avoided an 0âÂÂ2 start in SEC play by escaping BryantâÂÂDenny Stadium with an overtime win over Alabama. Stafford connected with senior wide receiver Mikey Henderson on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage in overtime for the winning score. Following the Alabama game, Georgia won two of their next three. In the win over No. 9 Florida, he completed 11 of 18 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including a career-long touchdown pass of 84 yards to Mohamed Massaquoi and a 53-yard touchdown pass to Henderson. Georgia closed out the regular season on a six-game winning streak. The wins over Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech marked the first time that Georgia had defeated all three rivals in the same season since 1982.
Stafford had 175 yards passing and a touchdown pass during Georgia's 41âÂÂ10 rout of the No. 10 Hawaii Warriors in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. He completed 194 of 348 passes for 2,523 yards (194.1/game) and 19 touchdowns as well as two rushing touchdowns for the season. He finished fifth in the SEC in pass completions and sixth in passing touchdowns. Stafford helped lead Georgia to an 11âÂÂ2 record, their best mark since the 2002 season, and a No. 2 ranking in the Final AP Poll.
Stafford was chosen to Athlon Sports preseason Heisman Favorites Others To Watch list. Georgia was ranked No. 1 in both the preseason coaches poll and the AP Poll, marking the first time Georgia has ever been No. 1 in the preseason version of either poll. 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. He helped lead them to victories in their first four games to move the winning streak to 11. Stafford and the Bulldogs suffered their first setback in a 41âÂÂ30 loss to No. 8 Alabama on September 27. Stafford rebounded by helping lead the team to victories in five of the next six games, the lone exception being a 49âÂÂ10 loss to the eventual National Champion Florida Gators. In that stretch, he threw for over 300 yards in victories over Tennessee and Kentucky. In the final regular season game against Georgia Tech, Stafford completed 24 out of 39 attempts for 407 yards and five touchdowns, setting personal collegiate highs for passing yards and touchdowns in a single game, albeit a 45âÂÂ42 loss. Stafford finished the season with a conference-leading 235 pass completions for 3,459 passing yards, the second most in school history, and 25 touchdowns, the single-season record for passing touchdowns. He led the SEC in pass attempts and passing completions while finishing third for passing touchdowns. Georgia finished the regular season with a 9âÂÂ3 mark and qualified for the Capitol One Bowl. After defeating Michigan State 24âÂÂ12 and winning the MVP of the 2009 Capital One Bowl, Stafford finished his three years at Georgia with a 3âÂÂ0 record in bowl games and a 6âÂÂ3 record in rivalry games (1âÂÂ2 against Florida, 3âÂÂ0 against Auburn, and 2âÂÂ1 against Georgia Tech). Stafford chose to forgo his senior season and entered the 2009 NFL draft.
In April 2008, several NFL analysts predicted that Stafford would be the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL draft if he chose to leave school early. Stafford eventually did, and on April 24, 2009, agreed to record contract terms with the Detroit Lions to become the first overall pick of the 2009 NFL draft, one day before the draft was held. He became the fourth player out of Georgia to be the first overall selection in the draft and the first since Harry Babcock in 1953. The six-year contract reportedly contained $41.7 million in guaranteed money (the most guaranteed to any player in NFL history until July 30, 2010, when quarterback Sam Bradford signed a deal with $50 million guaranteed) and carried a total value of up to $78 million. Detroit negotiated a deal with Stafford on April 24, 2009, less than 24 hours before the draft.
On September 6, 2009, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz announced that Stafford would be the Lions' starting quarterback heading into the season. He was the first Lions rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since Greg Landry in 1968. Stafford completed 16-of-37 passes for 205 yards and three interceptions while scoring his first NFL touchdown on a one-yard touchdown early in the third quarter of the 45âÂÂ27 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. In the next game against the Minnesota Vikings, Stafford had 152 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions during the 27âÂÂ13 loss. Stafford recorded his first win the following week against the Washington Redskins, throwing for 241 yards and a touchdown in the 19âÂÂ14 victory. The win was significant for the Lions as it snapped a 19-game losing streak going back to the 2007 season.
During Week 11, Stafford threw for 422 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions in a narrow 38âÂÂ37 victory over the Cleveland Browns. He became the youngest quarterback ever to throw five touchdowns in a game, being more than a year younger than the former record holder, Dan Marino. In a thrilling ending, Stafford received high acclaim when he stepped back onto the field despite team doctors' urge to stay on the sideline after suffering a separated shoulder on the previous play and threw the final touchdown pass as time expired. Stafford's 422 passing yards was a record for a rookie at that time. For his performance, Stafford was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week. He was mic'd up for the game for NFL Films. The show's creator Steve Sabol said it was the most dramatic performance he's seen in the show's 30-year history. In the next game against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, Stafford completed 20-of-43 passes for 213 yards, a touchdown, and four interceptions during the 34âÂÂ12 loss.
Stafford was placed on injured reserve on December 24 for the minor knee injury. He finished his rookie year with 2,267 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions to go along with 20 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games and starts. In all of his starts, Stafford either threw or ran for a touchdown despite the Lions finishing 2âÂÂ8 in games that he started in. The Lions did not win another game without Stafford and finished with a 2âÂÂ14 record overall.
Stafford injured his right shoulder during the season-opening 19âÂÂ14 loss to the Bears. Stafford returned in Week 8 against the Redskins and threw for 212 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception to lead the Lions to a 37âÂÂ25 victory. In the next game against the New York Jets, he re-injured his shoulder during the fourth quarter of the 23âÂÂ20 overtime loss after throwing for 240 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing touchdown. The Lions announced that Dr. James Andrews had performed surgery on Stafford's throwing shoulder, which included an AC joint repair and a clavicle shaving, prematurely ending his season.
Stafford finished his second professional season with 535 passing yards, six touchdowns, and an interception to go along with four carries for 11 yards and a touchdown in three games and starts.
The Lions opened the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with high expectations. Stafford played well, throwing for 305 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in a 27âÂÂ20 road victory, the first season opener the Lions had won since 2007. Another strong performance followed the following week against the Kansas City Chiefs with Stafford throwing for four touchdowns, 294 yards, and an interception in a 48âÂÂ3 blowout victory, the largest win margin in team history. Stafford won the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week for his performance. In Weeks 3 and 4, Stafford led the team to consecutive comeback victories, a 26âÂÂ23 overtime road victory over the Vikings after trailing 20âÂÂ0 at halftime in Week 3, and a 34âÂÂ30 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys after trailing 27âÂÂ3 with 12:27 left in the third quarter. The 24-point comeback marked the largest in franchise history.
During Week 5 against the Bears on Monday Night Football, Stafford completed 19-of-26 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns in the 24âÂÂ13 victory. This marked the first time the Lions had gone 5âÂÂ0 since 1956, the year before they won their last NFL Championship. During a Week 10 37âÂÂ13 road loss to the Bears, Stafford threw for 329 yards, a touchdown, and four interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns on consecutive drives. The game was marred by a brawl that began when Stafford threw Bears cornerback D. J. Moore to the ground by his helmet during a block on an interception return. In response, Moore attacked Stafford and a sideline-clearing brawl ensued. Stafford was fined $7,500 for his role in the brawl.
During Week 11, Stafford threw for 335 yards and tied his career-high with five touchdowns as the Lions defeated the Carolina Panthers in another comeback, 49âÂÂ35, after trailing 24âÂÂ7 in the second quarter. Stafford became the first quarterback since at least 1950 to win back-to-back games after trailing by at least 20 points, the first to win three games in a season after trailing by at least 17 points, and the first to win four games in a season after trailing by at least 13 points according to STATS, LLC.
During the regular-season finale against the Packers, Stafford became the fourth quarterback in NFL history and third in the 2011 season, along with Tom Brady and Drew Brees, to throw for 5,000 passing yards in a season after recording a career-high 520 passing yards in the 45âÂÂ41 road loss. 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. The accomplishment made Stafford the second-youngest quarterback in NFL history, at the age of 23 years and 328 days, to reach 5,000 yards, behind only Dan Marino. Stafford became the first player in Lions' franchise history to have two games in a single season with at least five passing touchdowns. Over the last four games of the 2011 regular season, Stafford became the only quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 1,500 yards (1,511) and 14 touchdowns over a four-game span. Stafford and the Lions finished the regular season with a 10âÂÂ6 record, good enough for the Lions to make their first playoff appearance since 1999.
During the against the New Orleans Saints, Stafford threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown. However, he threw two late interceptions in the fourth quarter that sealed the 45âÂÂ28 loss for the Lions. Stafford was named a Pro Bowl alternate for the NFC after the 2011 NFL season. He was later named the 2011 Pro Football Weekly Comeback Player of the Year, AP Comeback Player of the Year, and NFL Alumni Quarterback of the Year. Stafford was ranked 41st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.
While the 2011 season proved to be the best season of Stafford's young career, 2012 was one full of setbacks. During the opening game against the St. Louis Rams, Stafford threw three interceptions and one touchdown pass. However, the Lions won the game 27âÂÂ23. Stafford and the Lions lost the next three games to the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans, and Vikings. In the ensuing weeks, the Lions managed to win three games, including impressive comeback wins against the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles, and a dominating performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. These proved to be the final winning games of the 2012 season as the Lions ended the season with an eight-game losing streak and with a 4âÂÂ12 record. One highlight in the losing streak was the Week 16 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, where Stafford recorded a career-high 37 completions for 443 passing yards and an interception in the 31âÂÂ18 loss.
Stafford finished the season with a league-leading 435 pass completions for 20 touchdown passes, significantly less compared to the 41 touchdowns he passed for in the 2011 season; 17 interceptions, one more than 2011, and second most in his career since his rookie season; 4,967 passing yards on 727 attempts (an NFL record; the previous record was 691 by Drew Bledsoe); and a QB rating of 79.8, the lowest since his rookie season. Stafford rushed for a career-high 126 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 35 carries. He was ranked No. 76 among his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.
On July 7, 2013, Stafford agreed to a three-year, $53 million extension with the Lions with $41.5 million guaranteed through 2017.
During Week 4 against the Bears, Stafford completed 23-of-35 passes for 242 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the 40âÂÂ32 victory. This gave him 14,069 yards through 49 games, surpassing Kurt Warner (13,864) for the best 50-game start to a career.
"I might (reflect on that) when I'm done playing someday," Stafford said. "I had no idea about that, or that it was coming. It's something that I'll probably look back on when I'm done and realize it was something pretty special." Stafford set a record for completions over 50 games at 1,214, over Marc Bulger's 1,115. He finished second in career 300-yard passing performances through 50 games at 19, trailing Warner's 29.
Stafford led the Lions to a 5âÂÂ3 record entering their mid-season bye. During Week 8, the Lions narrowly defeated the Cowboys 31âÂÂ30 in the final game before the bye, throwing for 488 yards and a touchdown despite two interceptions; down 30âÂÂ24 with just 62 seconds to work with and no timeouts Stafford completed a 23-yard pass to Calvin Johnson to the Cowboys 1-yard line; he hustled the team to the line as though to spike the ball, but instead jumped over the line for the winning touchdown with 14 seconds to go, to go to 5âÂÂ3.
However, the Lions finished 2âÂÂ6 for a final record of 7âÂÂ9. Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was fired following the season. Stafford finished the 2013 season with 4,650 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions to go along with 37 carries for 69 yards and two touchdowns. He was ranked No. 100 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 players' list.
On January 14, 2014, the Lions announced Jim Caldwell as their new head coach. The Lions rebounded from a disappointing 2013 campaign by finishing with an 11âÂÂ5 record, thus earning the NFC's 6th seed, their first playoff appearance since 2011.
Stafford began the 2014 season strong, throwing for 346 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a touchdown in the season-opening 35âÂÂ14 victory over the New York Giants.. During Week 13 against the Bears on Thanksgiving, he threw for a season-high 390 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 34âÂÂ17 victory. During the season, Stafford became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 20,000 passing yards. He accomplished the feat in his 71st game, breaking Dan Marino's mark of 74. He led the NFL with five game-winning drives. Stafford finished the 2014 season with 4,257 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions to go along with 43 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
On January 4, 2015, Stafford and the Lions went against the Dallas Cowboys, in the of the playoffs. After the Lions had a 20âÂÂ7 lead in the third quarter, the Cowboys scored 17 unanswered points to win 24âÂÂ20. In the fourth quarter, with the Lions up 20âÂÂ17, Stafford threw a pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew. The ball hit Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens on the back. Pass interference was initially called on the Cowboys. However, the officials reversed the call on the series that ended up being crucial as the Lions were forced to punt later on the drive. Stafford threw for 323 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the road loss.
On January 19, 2015, it was announced that Stafford was selected to the 2015 Pro Bowl, his first Pro Bowl appearance as a replacement for Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos, due to a quad injury. Stafford was named Pro Bowl Offensive MVP after throwing for 316 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
The 2015 season started rough for Stafford and the Lions with a 0âÂÂ5 start. In the stretch, Stafford passed for six touchdowns and eight interceptions to go along with an average of 241 passing yards per game. The Lions got their first victory during Week 6 against the Bears, with Stafford recording 405 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an interception in the 37âÂÂ34 overtime result.
During Week 12 against the Eagles on Thanksgiving, Stafford threw for 337 yards and five touchdowns in the 45âÂÂ14 victory. It was the fourth time in Stafford's career with a five-touchdown game, becoming the tenth player in NFL history to pull off the feat. Two weeks later against the St. Louis Rams, 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. The following week against the Saints, Stafford posted a single-game career high in passer rating, and broke Jon Kitna's single-game franchise record with an 88.0 completion percentage. Stafford finished the 35âÂÂ27 victory completing 22-of-25 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns to give him a career-high 148.6 passer rating.
Stafford became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 60 percent or more of his passes in all 16 games. Stafford finished the 2015 season with 4,262 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions to go along with 44 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. Despite his success, the Lions finished with a 7âÂÂ9 record and missed the playoffs.
Stafford started the 2016 season off with a strong performance against the Indianapolis Colts, finishing with 340 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 39âÂÂ35 road victory. The Lions followed that up with three consecutive losses before getting a narrow 24âÂÂ23 victory over the Eagles in Week 5 to have a 2âÂÂ3 record. During Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams, he had 270 passing yards and four touchdowns in the 31âÂÂ28 victory. On December 11, 2016, Stafford broke Peyton Manning's NFL record of most fourth quarter comebacks in a season with eight. In his career, he has 25 such victories, the most in the NFL since he made his debut in 2009. Stafford got the Lions to a 9âÂÂ4 start but he suffered a hand injury in Week 14 and lost the last three games of the season to finish 9âÂÂ7. They managed to get the sixth seed in the playoffs, only to lose to the Seahawks 26âÂÂ6 in the . Stafford passed for 206 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the loss.
Stafford ended the season with 4,327 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions â his sixth consecutive season with at least 4,000 passing yards. He became the fastest player in NFL history to reach the 30,000 career passing yards milestone. Stafford became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 30,000 in their first eight seasons. He was ranked 31st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
On August 28, 2017, Stafford signed a five-year, $135 million extension with $92 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time.
During the season-opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Stafford finished with 292 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an interception as the Lions rallied and won by a score of 35âÂÂ23. It was his 27th fourth quarter/overtime comeback since 2011, the most in the league. In the next game against the Giants on Monday Night Football, Stafford threw his 193rd career touchdown pass during the 24âÂÂ10 road victory, passing Bob Griese for 48th on the all-time touchdown pass list.
During a Week 8 20âÂÂ15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, Stafford became the only player in NFL history to throw for more than 400 yards and no touchdowns in two different games. In the next game against the Packers, Stafford recorded his 200th career touchdown in the first quarter of the game, becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to do so before the age of 30, joining Brett Favre, Dan Marino, and Peyton Manning. During the regular-season finale against the Packers, Stafford recorded his 3,000th career completion in his 125th career game, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone in NFL history. The Lions finished with a 9âÂÂ7 record, but did not qualify for the playoffs.
Stafford finished the season with 4,446 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, his seventh consecutive season with at least 4,000 passing yards, to go along with 29 carries for 98 yards. He led the NFC in passing yards in 2017. Stafford was ranked 31st by his peers for the second consecutive year on the list of the Top 100 NFL Players of 2018.
Going into the 2018 season, Stafford had a new head coach in Matt Patricia.
During the season opener against the Jets on Monday Night Football, Stafford had 286 passing yards, a touchdown, and four interceptions in the 48âÂÂ17 loss. He rebounded statistically in the following game against the San Francisco 49ers, passing for 347 yards and three touchdowns during the 30âÂÂ27 road loss. The Lions got their first win of the season the following week against the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football as Stafford recorded 262 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the 26âÂÂ10 victory. Overall, the rest of the season was inconsistent for Stafford and the Lions. He never passed for more than two touchdowns in any game for the rest of the season as the Lions finished with a 6âÂÂ10 record. One memorable game for the Lions was a 31âÂÂ0 shutout of their rival, the Packers, with Stafford passing for 266 yards and two touchdowns in the regular-season finale. Overall, Stafford finished with 3,777 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions to go along with 25 carries for 71 yards.
During the season-opener on the road against the Cardinals, Stafford threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns in the 27âÂÂ27 tie game. Stafford helped lead the Lions to consecutive victories over the next two games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Eagles. The Lions dropped consecutive games against the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Week 4 and Packers in Week 6. During Week 7 against the Vikings, Stafford threw for 364 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception in the 42âÂÂ30 loss. He also reached 40,000 passing yards in his 147th career game, becoming the fastest quarterback to the reach the milestone.
During Week 10 against the Bears, Stafford missed his first game since 2010, ending his streak of 136 consecutive regular-season starts. Stafford's streak was the sixth-longest for a quarterback in league history. It was eventually revealed that he was diagnosed with non-displaced fractures in his upper thoracic spine, causing Stafford to miss more time than usual. On December 18, 2019, he was placed on injured reserve after missing the previous six games and the Lions missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. At the time of his shutdown, Stafford was well on pace for an impressive statistical season. He had passed for 2,499 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games and starts.
At the start of training camp, Stafford was temporarily on the reserve/COVID-19 list due to a false-positive test.
Stafford made his return from injury in the season-opener against the Bears, passing for 297 yards, a touchdown, and an interception during the 27âÂÂ23 loss. Two weeks later against the Cardinals, Stafford had 270 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 26âÂÂ23 victory. This was the Lions' first win since October 27, 2019. During Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, Stafford threw for 340 yards and the game winning touchdown to tight end T. J. Hockenson with no time left on the clock in the narrow 23âÂÂ22 road victory. In the next game against the Colts, Stafford threw for 336 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception returned for a touchdown in the 41âÂÂ21 loss.
On November 4, 2020, Stafford was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list again after being a high-risk close contact with a non-team person who tested positive for COVID-19. Three days later, Stafford was removed from the COVID-19 list after he came back negative for the virus and was cleared for the Lions' Week 9 matchup against the Vikings. Stafford threw for 211 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions before leaving the eventual 34âÂÂ20 road loss in the fourth quarter and was evaluated for a concussion. He return from injury in the next game against the Washington Football Team and threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns during the 30âÂÂ27 victory. Three weeks later against the Bears, he had 402 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in the 34âÂÂ30 road victory. During Week 16 against the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, Stafford was forced to leave the game in the first quarter of the 47âÂÂ7 loss due to an ankle injury and did not return. In the regular-season finale against the Vikings, Stafford threw for 293 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception during the narrow 37âÂÂ35 loss, which would be his final game as a Lion.
Overall, in the 2020 season, Stafford started all 16 games and finished with 4,084 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions to go along with 29 carries for 112 yards.
On March 18, 2021, Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a package involving Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round pick and two first-round picks in 2022 and 2023.
Stafford made his Rams debut during Sunday Night Football against the Bears and finished the 34âÂÂ14 victory with 321 passing yards and three touchdowns with a career-best 156.1 passer rating. Stafford was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time since the 2009 season for his performance. In the next game against the Colts, Stafford had 278 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception during the 27âÂÂ24 road victory. The following week against the Buccaneers, Stafford threw for 343 yards, and four touchdowns in the 34âÂÂ24 victory. He earned his second NFC Offensive Player of the Week award of the season for his performance.
During a Week 5 26âÂÂ17 road victory over the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, Stafford threw for 365 yards, a touchdown, and an interception despite injuring his finger. In the next game against the Giants, Stafford completed 22-of-28 passes for 251 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception during the 38âÂÂ11 road victory. The following week against his former team, the Detroit Lions, Stafford had 334 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 28âÂÂ19 victory.
During Week 8 against the Houston Texans, Stafford had 305 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 38âÂÂ22 road victory. In the next game against the Titans on Sunday Night Football, he threw for 294 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions during the 28âÂÂ16 loss. Following a Week 11 bye, the Rams went on the road to face the Packers. Stafford finished the 36âÂÂ28 road loss with 302 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
Starting in Week 13, Stafford helped lead the Rams to a five-game winning streak to aid in playoff positioning. Despite losing to the 49ers 27âÂÂ24 in overtime during the regular-season finale, the Rams finished atop the NFC West with a 12âÂÂ5 record in Stafford's first season with the team. Stafford set franchise records for pass completions, pass attempts, and passing yards and tied Kurt Warner's mark for passing touchdowns in a single season. Stafford threw for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns, but also an NFL-leading 17 interceptions thrown.
In the of the playoffs, Stafford earned the first postseason victory of his career in his fourth attempt with a 34âÂÂ11 victory over the Cardinals, throwing for 202 yards and two touchdowns, along with 22 rushing yards and scoring a rushing touchdown for the first time since 2016. In Stafford's first career , he threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a touchdown during a 30âÂÂ27 road victory over the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Rams' having squandered a 27âÂÂ3 lead to allow a 27âÂÂ27 tie game with the Buccaneers, Stafford completed two passes to wide receiver Cooper Kupp for 64 yards, including a 44-yard shot down the field to set up the game-winning field goal. Playing in the for the first time in his career, Stafford and the Rams defeated the 49ers by a score of 20âÂÂ17. Despite being down 17âÂÂ7 heading into the fourth quarter, Stafford managed to drive his team downfield culminating in a touchdown to Kupp, which cut the deficit to 17âÂÂ14. Two subsequent drives ended in field goals, with the Rams taking the lead with 1:46 to go in the fourth quarter. The game was sealed when Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception to linebacker Travin Howard while being pressured by Aaron Donald. The victory qualified the Rams for Super Bowl LVI, to be played in the Rams' home stadium, SoFi Stadium. Stafford completed 31-of-45 passes for 337 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the game. During the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Rams came away victorious on their home field with a final score of 23âÂÂ20. Scoring started early in the first quarter thanks to a long drive that culminated in a Odell Beckham Jr. touchdown reception. The Bengals managed a field goal to make the score 7âÂÂ3. Stafford then tossed another touchdown to wide receiver Cooper Kupp on the next possession to extend the lead to 13âÂÂ3. However, on the first play of the second half, Cincinnati retook the lead, 17âÂÂ13. After field goals by both teams, the Rams trailed 20âÂÂ16 in the fourth quarter. Stafford orchestrated a drive in the final minutes that ended with another touchdown pass to Kupp to regain the lead 23âÂÂ20. Overall, Stafford completed 26-of-40 passes for 283 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions as he earned his first championship ring in his first season with the Rams.
Stafford passed for the second-most yards in a single postseason with 1,188. He became the first quarterback since Eli Manning to lead a fourth-quarter comeback in a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl in the same playoff season. Stafford became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 6,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in the regular season and postseason combined all while leading a team to a Super Bowl victory in the same season. He was ranked 27th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.
On March 19, 2022, Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Rams. During the offseason, he underwent an elbow procedure on his right elbow after experiencing pain throughout the previous season.
During the NFL Kickoff Game against the Buffalo Bills, Stafford threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, but threw three interceptions and was sacked seven times in the 31âÂÂ10 loss. In the game, Stafford became the 12th quarterback in NFL history to reach 50,000 career passing yards. He tied Drew Brees as the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach the mark in terms of games played to reach the mark with 183. During Week 5 against the Cowboys, Stafford completed 28 passes of 42 attempts for 308 passing yards, threw a touchdown pass and an interception in the 22âÂÂ10 loss.
Stafford was put in concussion protocol following the Rams' Week 9 16âÂÂ13 road loss to the Buccaneers, where he missed the Week 10 matchup against the Cardinals. The Cardinals game marked Stafford's first game as a Ram where he would not play. Stafford returned in week 11 against the Saints, where he threw for 159 yards and two touchdowns, but left the eventual 27âÂÂ20 loss in the third quarter after suffering a concussion. Following the Rams' Week 13 loss to the Seahawks, head coach Sean McVay revealed that Stafford suffered a spinal cord contusion which would end his season. Stafford was placed on injured reserve on December 5, 2022.
In nine games, Stafford finished with 2,087 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions to go along with nine rushing yards and a touchdown. The Rams went 3âÂÂ6 in the games he played, contributing to a disappointing 5âÂÂ12 season. The Rams' 12 losses marked the most in NFL history for a defending Super Bowl champion.
Stafford returned as the Rams starting quarterback in 2023 after speculations that he might retire due to the injuries he sustained in 2022.
During the season-opener against the Seahawks, Stafford completed 24-of-38 passes for 334 yards in the 30âÂÂ13 road victory. Three weeks later against the Colts, Stafford passed for 319 yards and threw a game-winning touchdown to rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua in the 29âÂÂ23 overtime road victory.
During Week 8 against the Cowboys, Stafford threw for 162 yards and a touchdown but also threw a pick-six to Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland in the 43âÂÂ20 road loss. Stafford exited the game during the third quarter after injuring his right thumb on a two-point conversion pass from Tutu Atwell, and was replaced at quarterback by Brett Rypien. Stafford was later diagnosed with a sprained UCL and would miss the next game against the Packers.
Stafford returned as starter in Week 11 against the Seahawks and threw for 190 yards, a touchdown, and an interception each during a narrow 17âÂÂ16 victory. In the next game the Cardinals, he had 229 passing yards, a season-high four touchdowns, and an interception during the 37âÂÂ14 road victory. Between Weeks 12 and 14, Stafford threw a total of 10 touchdowns and one interception in a three-game stretch after starting out the season throwing for nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Stafford finished the regular season 3,965 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions to go along 21 carries for 65 yards. The Rams finished with a 10âÂÂ7 record and clinched a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Stafford was selected to his second Pro Bowl as a reserve for the NFC.
In the , Stafford and the Rams faced his former team, the Lions. The game marked the first time Stafford returned to Detroit since being traded to Los Angeles. He finished the narrow 24âÂÂ23 loss completing 25-of-36 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns as Lions got their first playoff win in 32 seasons. Stafford was ranked 42nd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.
Stafford and the Rams opened the season in Detroit in a rematch of last year's Wild Card game, with Stafford completing 34-of-49 passes for 317 yards, a touchdown, and an interception during the 26âÂÂ20 overtime road loss. Following a blowout loss to the Cardinals to drop to 0âÂÂ2 and injuries to star receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, Stafford rallied the Rams from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit in Week 3 against the 49ers to win 27âÂÂ24. During a Week 4 loss against the Bears, Stafford passed Eli Manning for 10th in the all-time passing yards list.
With the return of wide receivers Kupp and Nacua in Week 8 against the Vikings, Stafford had a standout game, passing for 279 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception during the 30âÂÂ20 victory. Three weeks later against the Patriots, he had 295 passing yards and four touchdowns in the 28âÂÂ22 road victory.
Stafford finished the 2024 season with 3,762 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as he helped lead the Rams to a playoff berth. In the against the Vikings, Stafford completed 19-of-27 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns during the 27âÂÂ9 victory. During the against the Eagles, he threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns but had two fumbles, including one lost, in the 28âÂÂ22 road loss. He was ranked 59th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025.
After being given permission to speak with other teams, Stafford had discussions with the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders before deciding to remain with the Rams and agreeing to a restructured contract on February 28, 2025. An aggravated disc in his back caused Stafford to miss most of training camp and there was concern within the Rams organization as to whether his condition would affect him during the season.
During the season-opening 14âÂÂ9 victory over the Houston Texans, Stafford completed 21 of 29 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown while also becoming the tenth quarterback in NFL history to reach 60,000 career passing yards. Beginning with a 375-yard, three-touchdown performance (during which he threw an 88-yard score to wide receiver Tutu Atwell, the longest touchdown pass of Stafford's career) during a 27âÂÂ20 victory over the Colts in Week 4, Stafford went eight straight games without throwing an interception and threw 28 touchdown passes in that span. During Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens, Stafford threw for just 181 yards in the 17âÂÂ3 road victory, but the yardage total was enough for him to surpass Dan Marino for ninth in NFL career passing yards. In the next game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Stafford threw for 182 yards and tied a career-high with five passing touchdowns during the 35âÂÂ7 victory.
Stafford's streak of games without an interception ended in Week 13 during a 31âÂÂ28 loss at the Carolina Panthers, but his 243 passing yards on the day lifted him above Matt Ryan into the eighth spot on the NFL career passing yards list. Stafford was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for November. He threw for 457 yards, which is his most with the Rams, and three touchdowns in the narrow 38âÂÂ37 overtime road loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16. The performance also passed Philip Rivers for seventh place all-time in passing yards. In the next game against the Atlanta Falcons, Stafford had 269 passing yards during the 27âÂÂ24 road loss, with the yardage total moving him past Ben Roethlisberger for the sixth-most passing yards in NFL history, and his two touchdown passes gave him 42 for the season, breaking his own personal single-season best of 41 set in 2011 with Detroit and equaled in 2021 during his first season in Los Angeles. During the regular season finale, Stafford threw for 259 yards and four touchdowns in the 37âÂÂ20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Following the end of the regular season, Stafford was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for the second consecutive month covering December/January.
In finishing with 4,707 passing yards and a franchise-record 46 touchdown passes for the regular season, Stafford led the NFL in both categories for the first time in his career. Stafford finished with a career-high 109.2 passer rating for the season. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career, and was named to an Associated Press first team All-Pro Quarterback, the first All-Pro honor of his career.
During the Wild Card Round against the Carolina Panthers, Stafford completed 24-of-42 passes for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception as he rallied the Rams to a 34âÂÂ31 road victory, his fourth playoff comeback victory since being traded to Los Angeles. In the Divisional Round against the #2-seed Chicago Bears, Stafford had 258 passing yards during the 20âÂÂ17 overtime road victory, sending the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. However, despite Stafford going 22-for-35 for 374 yards and three touchdowns, the Rams lost on the road 31âÂÂ27. On February 5th, 2026, Stafford was named 2026 Most Valuable Player at the 15th NFL Honors, and concluded his acceptance speech by declaring that he would return to the Rams for the 2026 season.
NFL
College
At Georgia, Stafford met cheerleader Kelly Hall, the sister of former NFL player and current New York Giants assistant quarterbacks coach Chad Hall. They got married on April 4, 2015, and have four daughters. In April 2019, Kelly Stafford stated on Instagram that she had a brain tumor. Kelly underwent a 12-hour surgery on April 17. Stafford took time off from being with the Lions, as training camp started up shortly after Kelly's surgery.
In 2015, Stafford donated $1 million to the S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center. Three years later, Stafford was the Lions' Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Prior to the 2020 NFL season, the Stafford family donated $1.5 million to the University of Georgia. The donation funded social justice initiatives and scholarships for needy students. Around 2021, the Stafford family donated $1 million with the purpose of funding an educational center in Detroit after the couple had left for Los Angeles.
Stafford is the godfather of Dylan Raiola, who was the top football recruit in 2024. Raiola was the starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and is the son of Dominic Raiola who was teammates with Stafford with the Lions from 2009 to 2014.