Matthew Stafford (American football)
Encyclopedia
John Matthew Stafford is an American football
quarterback
for the Detroit Lions
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Lions first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Georgia
.
to John and Margaret Stafford. He lived in Dunwoody, Georgia
while his father
attended graduate school at the University of Georgia
. His family
then moved to Dallas, Texas
, and Stafford attended Highland Park High School
. 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, including being better than Tim Tebow
.
Stafford made his varsity debut in the 2002 playoffs against Sulphur Springs High School. He lettered in baseball
where he was teammates with future Los Angeles Dodgers
pitcher Clayton Kershaw
, but after a disappointing junior football season in which he threw for only 1,748 yards, 18 TDs and 11 INTs, Stafford quit baseball to concentrate on football.
In 2005, he led his team to a perfect 15–0 record and won the Texas 4A Division I State Championship. During the playoff run, Stafford faced stiff competition from Jevan Snead and Ryan Mallet. Both gave Stafford very close games. Stafford had over 4,000 yards passing without playing 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 #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 that Stafford would eventually be the first pick in the NFL Draft
.
in January, where he became the first true freshman Bulldog QB to start 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 one TD 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. During the season's third 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, 18–0. Against University of Alabama Birmingham the following week, Stafford made his first collegiate start. Georgia won, 34–0. Victories over Colorado and Mississippi improved Georgia's record to 5–0, but the heart of the conference schedule loomed.
The rest of the season was up and down for Stafford and the Bulldogs. Following home losses to both Tennessee and Vanderbilt, Coach 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 the 27–24 triumph over Mississippi State
, and was named the SEC Freshmen of the Week for his efforts. Statistically, he had his best game of the season against the 5th-ranked Auburn Tigers. Stafford finished the game 14 of 20 for 219 yards and a touchdown, and added 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on 7 carries in Georgia's 37–15 upset win. The following week, Stafford led the Bulldogs on a 12-play, 64-yard drive and threw the game-winning touchdown pass in Georgia's 15–12 win over No. 16 Georgia Tech.
Stafford completed his freshman season by leading Georgia to a 31–24 come-from-behind victory over Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl
, after the Bulldogs trailed 21–3 at halftime. Stafford threw for 129 yards and a second half touchdown to spark the comeback.
in the season opener. Against Alabama
, the Bulldogs avoided an 0–2 start in SEC play by escaping Bryant-Denny Stadium
with an overtime win. Stafford connected with senior wide receiver Mikey Henderson on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage in OT for the winning score. In UGA's win vs. No. 9 Florida
, he completed 11 of 18 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including a career-long TD pass of 84 yards to Mohamed Massaquoi
and a 53 yard TD pass to Henderson. 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 TD pass during Georgia's 41–10 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 TDs as well as two rushing TDs for the season.
was ranked #1 in both the preseason coaches poll and the AP poll, marking the first time Georgia has ever been #1 in the preseason version of either poll; the team also entered the 2008 season with the longest active winning streak among the 66 BCS conference teams, having won its last 7 games of the 2007 season. In the final regular season game against Georgia Tech, Stafford completed 24 out of 39 attempts for 407 yards and 5 touchdowns, setting a personal record for touchdowns in a single game. Stafford finished the season with 3,459 passing yards, the second most in school history, and 25 touchdowns, the single-season record for passing touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown in 2008. After defeating Michigan State 24–12 and winning the MVP of the 2009 Capital One Bowl, Stafford finished his three years at Georgia with a 3–0 record in bowl games and a 6–3 record in rivalry games (1–2 against Florida, 3–0 against Auburn, and 2–1 against Georgia Tech). Stafford chose to forgo his senior season and enter the 2009 NFL Draft.
, from 2006–2008, where the number of seniors who applied to University of Georgia rose dramatically in the three years following Stafford's departure to Athens, Georgia
. In 2005, the year before Stafford went to Georgia, 35 seniors applied to the university, compared with 69 in 2006, 75 in 2007, and 106 in 2008. The "Stafford Effect" was chronicled in a feature story in Stafford's hometown newspaper, Park Cities People. Stafford remarked in the story, "I'm not sure I have anything to do with it. I think people realize Georgia is a good school to watch football and have a good time, just like in Highland Park."
, several NFL analysts predicted Stafford would be the #1 pick in the 2009 draft if he chose to leave school early. He 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. The six-year contract reportedly contains $41.7 million in guaranteed money (the most guaranteed to any player in NFL history until July 30, 2010, when Sam Bradford
signed a deal with $50 million guaranteed) and carries a total value of up to $78 million.
announced that Stafford would be the Lions' permanent starting quarterback heading into the 2009 season. Regarding his decision, Schwartz stated, "This isn't an internship or an experiment." Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper
for the starting job. Stafford made his first start in the NFL on September 13, 2009. He was one of four rookie starters for the Lions (Brandon Pettigrew
, Louis Delmas
and Sammie Hill) in the season opener against the New Orleans Saints
, and was the first Lions rookie quarterback to start the season since Greg Landry
in 1968. He completed 16 of 37 passes for 205 yards and 3 interceptions; he was intercepted twice by Darren Sharper
, the other time by Scott Shanle
. He also ran in a 1-yard touchdown.
In Week 2, he threw his first career touchdown pass when he connected with Calvin Johnson
on a 6-yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings
. In week 3, Stafford led the Lions to their first victory since the 2007 season
. He completed 21 of 36 for 241 yards and one touchdown in Detroit's 19–14 win over the Washington Redskins
. In Week 4, Stafford completed 24 of 36 for 296 yards with one touchdown as well as an interception before suffering a knee injury while being sacked in the fourth quarter of Detroit's 48–24 loss to the Chicago Bears
at Soldier Field
. He underwent further evaluation back in Detroit. Culpepper started in his place in week 5, and again in week 6.
On November 22, 2009, Stafford threw 5 touchdowns in a 38–37 win over the Cleveland Browns
, becoming the youngest quarterback ever to do so, 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. In addition to the five touchdown passes, Stafford accumulated 422 yards passing—a rookie record. For his performance, Stafford won NFC Offensive Player of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week. Stafford 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.
Stafford was placed on injured reserve
on December 24 for the minor knee injury. Stafford concluded his rookie season having passed for 2,267 yards,13 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. In all 10 of the games he started for the Lions he either threw or ran for a touchdown.
on September 12. Stafford returned on October 31 against the Washington Redskins
and threw 4 touchdowns to lead the Lions to a 37–25 win. On November 7, Stafford re-injured his right shoulder in the fourth quarter of the Lions 23–20 OT loss to the New York Jets
. It was announced by the Lions that Dr. James Andrews had performed surgery on Stafford's throwing shoulder, which included an AC joint repair and a clavicle shaving, thus ending his 2010 season.
with high expectations. Stafford played well, throwing for 305 yards, 3 TDs, and an interception in a 27-20 win, the first season opener the Lions had won since 2007. Another strong performance followed, with Stafford throwing for 4 TDs, 294 yards, and an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs
in week 2, leading the Lions to a 48-3 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 he led the team to consecutive comeback victories, a 26–23 overtime comeback victory over the Vikings after trailing 20–0 at halftime in week 3, and a 34-30 win over the Cowboys after trailing 27-3 with 12:27 left in the 3rd quarter.
Week 5 saw Stafford orchestrate a 24-13 win over the Chicago Bears, going 19 of 26 for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns. This Is the first time the Lions have gone 5-0 since 1956, the year before they won their last NFL Championship. On week 10 against the Chicago Bears, Stafford threw four interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns on consecutive drives. They were both bad underthrows, the first to Major Wright, the second to Charles Tillman. 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 $7500 for his role in the brawl.
On November 20, Stafford threw for 335 yards and 5 TD's as the Lions defeated the Carolina Panthers 49-35. Stafford became the first NFL QB since at least 1950 to win three games in a season after trailing by at least 17 points, according to STATS, LLC.
on Detroit radio station WJR
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Lions first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
.
Early years
Stafford was born in Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
to John and Margaret Stafford. He lived in Dunwoody, Georgia
Dunwoody, Georgia
Dunwoody is a city located in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. Dunwoody became incorporated as a city on December 1, 2008...
while his father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
attended graduate school at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. His family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
then moved to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, and Stafford attended Highland Park High School
Highland Park High School (University Park, Texas)
Highland Park High School is located in University Park, Texas.Highland Park is a part of the Highland Park Independent School District. It serves all of the city of University Park, most of the town of Highland Park, and portions of Dallas.-History:...
. He was coached by Randy Allen
Randy Allen (American football)
Randy Allen is an American football coach. He is currently coaching at Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas. With a total record of 303-75-6 Allen is among the winningest active high school football coaches in Texas....
and was widely considered to be one of the best high school quarterbacks in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the Class of 2006, including being better than Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
Stafford made his varsity debut in the 2002 playoffs against Sulphur Springs High School. He lettered in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
where he was teammates with future Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
pitcher Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985...
, but after a disappointing junior football season in which he threw for only 1,748 yards, 18 TDs and 11 INTs, Stafford quit baseball to concentrate on football.
In 2005, he led his team to a perfect 15–0 record and won the Texas 4A Division I State Championship. During the playoff run, Stafford faced stiff competition from Jevan Snead and Ryan Mallet. Both gave Stafford very close games. Stafford had over 4,000 yards passing without playing the first three games of the season due to a knee injury.
Stafford received numerous accolades including being named to the Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-America Team and the USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Pre-Season Super 25 in 2005. He also won the MVP and Best Arm awards at the 2005 EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
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
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, Stafford was listed as the #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.
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
predicted that Stafford would eventually be the first pick in the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
.
College career
Freshman
Stafford graduated early from High School and enrolled at the University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in January, where he became the first true freshman Bulldog QB to start since Quincy Carter
Quincy Carter
Lavonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys...
in 1998, and first out of high school to start since Eric Zeier
Eric Zeier
Eric Royce Zeier is a former American football quarterback. In his five years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns , Baltimore Ravens , and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Zeier started his career at Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany where he led them to a championship...
in 1991. Stafford wore number 7 at Georgia. He completed five of 12 passes for 102 yards and one TD in a Georgia spring game.
Stafford debuted late in the season opener of the 2006 season against Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football program is a college football team that represents Western Kentucky University. The team is currently a member of the Sun Belt Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and went 3 of 5 passing for 40 yards and a touchdown pass. During the season's third game, against South Carolina, starting quarterback Joe Tereshinski III
Joe Tereshinski III
Joseph Peter Tereshinski III was an American football quarterback that played for the University of Georgia. He was a third-generation Georgia Bulldogs football player.-High school:...
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, 18–0. Against University of Alabama Birmingham the following week, Stafford made his first collegiate start. Georgia won, 34–0. Victories over Colorado and Mississippi improved Georgia's record to 5–0, but the heart of the conference schedule loomed.
The rest of the season was up and down for Stafford and the Bulldogs. Following home losses to both Tennessee and Vanderbilt, Coach 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 the 27–24 triumph over Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
, and was named the SEC Freshmen of the Week for his efforts. Statistically, he had his best game of the season against the 5th-ranked Auburn Tigers. Stafford finished the game 14 of 20 for 219 yards and a touchdown, and added 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on 7 carries in Georgia's 37–15 upset win. The following week, Stafford led the Bulldogs on a 12-play, 64-yard drive and threw the game-winning touchdown pass in Georgia's 15–12 win over No. 16 Georgia Tech.
Stafford completed his freshman season by leading Georgia to a 31–24 come-from-behind victory over Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
, after the Bulldogs trailed 21–3 at halftime. Stafford threw for 129 yards and a second half touchdown to spark the comeback.
Sophomore
He threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs defeated the Oklahoma State CowboysOklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
in the season opener. Against Alabama
2007 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2007 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama for the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season trying to improve from a disappointing 6–7 record in the 2006 season. The Tide was led by its new head coach Nick Saban, a former head coach of rival LSU. Despite a...
, the Bulldogs avoided an 0–2 start in SEC play by escaping Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant–Denny Stadium, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the home stadium for the University of Alabama football team. The stadium opened in 1929, and was originally named Denny Stadium, in honor of former Alabama president George Hutchenson Denny...
with an overtime win. Stafford connected with senior wide receiver Mikey Henderson on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage in OT for the winning score. In UGA's win vs. No. 9 Florida
2007 Florida Gators football team
The 2007 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2007 college football season...
, he completed 11 of 18 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including a career-long TD pass of 84 yards to Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Jah Massaquoi is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He is currently the second string receiver in Head Coach Pat Shurmur's new offense.-High school:...
and a 53 yard TD pass to Henderson. 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 TD pass during Georgia's 41–10 rout of the No. 10 Hawaii Warriors
2007 Hawaii Warriors football team
The 2007 Hawaii Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in the 2007 NCAA Division I-Bowl Subdivision college football season....
in the 2008 Sugar Bowl
2008 Sugar Bowl
The 2008 Allstate Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was the 74th Sugar Bowl...
. He completed 194 of 348 passes for 2,523 yards (194.1/game) and 19 TDs as well as two rushing TDs for the season.
Junior
Stafford was chosen to Athlon’s preseason Heisman Favorites Others To Watch list. Georgia2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed in American football on behalf of the University of Georgia in 2008. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' eighth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt...
was ranked #1 in both the preseason coaches poll and the AP poll, marking the first time Georgia has ever been #1 in the preseason version of either poll; the team also entered the 2008 season with the longest active winning streak among the 66 BCS conference teams, having won its last 7 games of the 2007 season. In the final regular season game against Georgia Tech, Stafford completed 24 out of 39 attempts for 407 yards and 5 touchdowns, setting a personal record for touchdowns in a single game. Stafford finished the season with 3,459 passing yards, the second most in school history, and 25 touchdowns, the single-season record for passing touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown in 2008. After defeating Michigan State 24–12 and winning the MVP of the 2009 Capital One Bowl, Stafford finished his three years at Georgia with a 3–0 record in bowl games and a 6–3 record in rivalry games (1–2 against Florida, 3–0 against Auburn, and 2–1 against Georgia Tech). Stafford chose to forgo his senior season and enter the 2009 NFL Draft.
Awards and honors
- Named SEC Freshman of the Week twice during the 2006 season.
- Named Rivals.com's National Freshman of the Week for his performance against Auburn on November 11, 2006.
- Received the University of Georgia's 2006 Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award.
- Named to the 2006 SEC Coaches' All-Freshman Team.
- Named Offensive MVP of the 2006 Chick-fil-A BowlChick-fil-A BowlThe Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
- Named All-America2008 College Football All-America TeamThe 2008 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American first teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports,...
in 2008 by Pro Football WeeklyPro Football WeeklyPro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
. - Named to Second-team All-SEC in 2008.
- MVP of the 2009 Capital One Bowl2009 Capital One BowlThe 2009 Capital One Bowl was held on January 1, 2009 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference defeated the Michigan State Spartans of the Big Ten Conference by a score of 24–12. The game was televised to a national audience on ABC...
.
Statistics
| Passing | | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Comp | Att | Yards | Pct. | TDs | Int | Rating | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2006 2006 Georgia Bulldogs football team The 2006 Georgia Bulldogs football team completed the season with a 9-4 record. The Bulldogs had an SEC record of 4-4. Despite losses to unranked Kentucky and Vanderbilt, Georgia salvaged its season by beating two ranked teams in the last two games of the season: #5 Auburn and #15 Georgia Tech... |
135 | 256 | 1,749 | 52.7 | 7 | 13 | 109.0 | 47 | 191 | 4.1 | 3 | |
| 2007 2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team The 2007 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed on behalf of the University of Georgia in American football against teams from other colleges and universities. The Bulldogs tied for first place in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference but lost a tie-breaker with the University of... |
194 | 348 | 2,523 | 55.7 | 19 | 10 | 128.9 | 39 | −18 | −0.5 | 2 | |
| 2008 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team The 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed in American football on behalf of the University of Georgia in 2008. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' eighth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt... |
235 | 382 | 3,459 | 61.5 | 25 | 10 | 153.9 | 55 | 40 | 0.7 | 1 | |
| Totals | 564 | 986 | 7,731 | 57.2 | 51 | 33 | 133.4 | 141 | 213 | 1.5 | 6 | |
- Stafford's 25 touchdown passes in 2008 broke the previous Georgia record of 24, set by D. J. ShockleyD. J. ShockleyDonald Eugene "D. J." Shockley is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia....
(2005) and Eric ZeierEric ZeierEric Royce Zeier is a former American football quarterback. In his five years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns , Baltimore Ravens , and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Zeier started his career at Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany where he led them to a championship...
(1993, 1994). - Stafford's 3,459 yards passing in 2008 were 2nd most in Georgia history, surpassed only by Zeier's 3,525 yards in 1993.
The "Stafford Effect"
The so-called "Stafford Effect" relates to the phenomenon seen at Stafford's high school alma mater, Highland Park High School in Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, from 2006–2008, where the number of seniors who applied to University of Georgia rose dramatically in the three years following Stafford's departure to Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
. In 2005, the year before Stafford went to Georgia, 35 seniors applied to the university, compared with 69 in 2006, 75 in 2007, and 106 in 2008. The "Stafford Effect" was chronicled in a feature story in Stafford's hometown newspaper, Park Cities People. Stafford remarked in the story, "I'm not sure I have anything to do with it. I think people realize Georgia is a good school to watch football and have a good time, just like in Highland Park."
2009 NFL Draft
Already after the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
, several NFL analysts predicted Stafford would be the #1 pick in the 2009 draft if he chose to leave school early. He eventually did, and on April 24, 2009, agreed to record contract terms with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
to become the first overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, one day before the draft was held. The six-year contract reportedly contains $41.7 million in guaranteed money (the most guaranteed to any player in NFL history until July 30, 2010, when Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
signed a deal with $50 million guaranteed) and carries a total value of up to $78 million.
2009
On September 7, 2009, Lions head coach Jim SchwartzJim Schwartz
Jim Schwartz is an American football head coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.-Early life:Born just outside Baltimore, Maryland, Schwartz attended Mount Saint Joseph High School, an all male Catholic school, where he played football.Schwartz was a four-year letterman at...
announced that Stafford would be the Lions' permanent starting quarterback heading into the 2009 season. Regarding his decision, Schwartz stated, "This isn't an internship or an experiment." Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
for the starting job. Stafford made his first start in the NFL on September 13, 2009. He was one of four rookie starters for the Lions (Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew is an American football tight end for the Detroit Lions. He was drafted by the Lions with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.-High school:Brandon Pettigrew played high school football at Robert E...
, Louis Delmas
Louis Delmas
Louis Delmas is an American Football safety that plays for the Detroit Lions.-Early life and high school career:Delmas played high school football at North Miami Beach High School in North Miami Beach, Florida....
and Sammie Hill) in the season opener against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, and was the first Lions rookie quarterback to start the season since Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...
in 1968. He completed 16 of 37 passes for 205 yards and 3 interceptions; he was intercepted twice by Darren Sharper
Darren Sharper
Darren Mallory Sharper is an American football safety who currently is a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at William & Mary....
, the other time by Scott Shanle
Scott Shanle
-St. Louis Rams:Shanle made his NFL debut against the New York Giants on September 7, 2003. He also saw special teams action in six games for St. Louis. He was waived by the Rams on December 9, 2003.-Dallas Cowboys:...
. He also ran in a 1-yard touchdown.
In Week 2, he threw his first career touchdown pass when he connected with Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
on a 6-yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. In week 3, Stafford led the Lions to their first victory since the 2007 season
2007 Detroit Lions season
The 2007 Detroit Lions season was the 78th season for the team in the National Football League. After starting the 2007 season with a 6-2 record, the Lions lost 7 of their last 8 games. They finished with a 7-9 record for their seventh consecutive losing season...
. He completed 21 of 36 for 241 yards and one touchdown in Detroit's 19–14 win over the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. In Week 4, Stafford completed 24 of 36 for 296 yards with one touchdown as well as an interception before suffering a knee injury while being sacked in the fourth quarter of Detroit's 48–24 loss to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. He underwent further evaluation back in Detroit. Culpepper started in his place in week 5, and again in week 6.
On November 22, 2009, Stafford threw 5 touchdowns in a 38–37 win over the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, becoming the youngest quarterback ever to do so, being more than a year younger than the former record holder, Dan Marino
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
. 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. In addition to the five touchdown passes, Stafford accumulated 422 yards passing—a rookie record. For his performance, Stafford won NFC Offensive Player of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week. Stafford was mic'd up for the game for NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
. The show's creator Steve Sabol said it was the most dramatic performance he's seen in the show's 30 year history.
Stafford was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on December 24 for the minor knee injury. Stafford concluded his rookie season having passed for 2,267 yards,13 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. In all 10 of the games he started for the Lions he either threw or ran for a touchdown.
2010
Stafford injured his right shoulder in the season opener against the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 12. Stafford returned on October 31 against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and threw 4 touchdowns to lead the Lions to a 37–25 win. On November 7, Stafford re-injured his right shoulder in the fourth quarter of the Lions 23–20 OT loss to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. It was announced by the Lions that Dr. James Andrews had performed surgery on Stafford's throwing shoulder, which included an AC joint repair and a clavicle shaving, thus ending his 2010 season.
2011
The Lions opened the season on September 11 against the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
with high expectations. Stafford played well, throwing for 305 yards, 3 TDs, and an interception in a 27-20 win, the first season opener the Lions had won since 2007. Another strong performance followed, with Stafford throwing for 4 TDs, 294 yards, and an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in week 2, leading the Lions to a 48-3 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 he led the team to consecutive comeback victories, a 26–23 overtime comeback victory over the Vikings after trailing 20–0 at halftime in week 3, and a 34-30 win over the Cowboys after trailing 27-3 with 12:27 left in the 3rd quarter.
Week 5 saw Stafford orchestrate a 24-13 win over the Chicago Bears, going 19 of 26 for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns. This Is the first time the Lions have gone 5-0 since 1956, the year before they won their last NFL Championship. On week 10 against the Chicago Bears, Stafford threw four interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns on consecutive drives. They were both bad underthrows, the first to Major Wright, the second to Charles Tillman. 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 $7500 for his role in the brawl.
On November 20, Stafford threw for 335 yards and 5 TD's as the Lions defeated the Carolina Panthers 49-35. Stafford became the first NFL QB since at least 1950 to win three games in a season after trailing by at least 17 points, according to STATS, LLC.
Media career
Stafford has a weekly segment on Mondays on The Mitch Albom Show with Mitch AlbomMitch Albom
Mitchell David "Mitch" Albom is an American best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, dramatist, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have sold over 30 million copies worldwide...
on Detroit radio station WJR
WJR
WJR is a radio station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It broadcasts a news/talk format. It is a class A clear channel station whose broadcasts can be heard throughout most of the Midwest, eastern United States and Canada at night, making it one of the most powerful radio stations in the...
.