Matthew Stafford’s career renaissance has been something to behold. The 36-year-old quarterback just wrapped up his 15th professional season; by all metrics, it was one of his best.
The former Georgia quarterback played in 16 games for the Los Angeles Rams, completing 63.0 percent of his passes for 4,332 yards while turning the ball over just 11 times. His play helped lead the Rams back to the playoffs for the first time since Stafford helped lead them to a win in Super Bowl LVI in 2021. Stafford’s performance in 2023 has thrust him back among the elite in the sport according to NFL.com.
In their NFL QB Index, the site has Stafford ranked as the fifth-best quarterback in the league, trailing just NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, and Jared Goff, who replaced Stafford in Detroit. It’s Stafford’s highest ranking in the past decade, tying his final ranking from the 2021 season.
After years of putting it all on the line for Detroit, it’s been fun to see Stafford sling the rock around in LA surrounded by a team and coaching staff that seem to accentuate his talents instead of relying on them. Head coach Sean McVay, who is just a couple of years older than his quarterback, and Stafford have a wonderful working relationship and it shows with their chemistry on the field.
Stafford also got to break in a new weapon this season. Standout rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua set the records for both receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie. Being paired up with a quarterback like Matthew Stafford certainly helped.
Stafford is signed through 2026 and is scheduled to make a base salary of $31,000,000 in 2024.
