How Many Years Has Matt Stafford Played In The NFL?

Matt Stafford has been playing in the NFL for eleven years. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Introduction

Matt Stafford has been playing in the NFL for 11 seasons. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Matt Stafford’s NFL Career

Draft

Stafford was drafted by the Lions first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a six-year, $72 million contract, $41.7 million of which was guaranteed, making him, at the time, the highest-paid rookie in NFL history. In his rookie season, Stafford started all 16 games. He became only the fifth rookie quarterback to do so, and only the third number one overall NFL Draft pick to achieve a winning record as a starter (joining quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning).

Early Years

Matt Stafford was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Georgia, and was considered one of the best quarterback prospects for the draft.

Stafford made his NFL debut in a game against the New Orleans Saints in 2009, and became the Lions’ starting quarterback midway through his rookie season. Since then, he has been one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the league, setting multiple franchise records.

In 2011, Stafford helped lead the Lions to their first playoff berth since 1999, and was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year. He has continued to be a successful quarterback for the Lions, leading them to another playoff appearance in 2016.

To date, Stafford has played ten seasons in the NFL, all with the Detroit Lions. He has set multiple franchise records, and is widely considered to be one of the best quarterbacks in team history.

Recent Years

Since being drafted by the Lions in 2009, Matt Stafford has established himself as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NFL. In recent years, he has been one of the league’s most durable players, appearing in all 16 games in six of his seven seasons as a starter. He has also been one of its most efficient passers, completing more than 65 percent of his passes four times and leading the league in passing yards twice.

Stafford’s best season came in 2011, when he completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns. That performance helped him earn Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors, and it helped the Lions reach the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Stafford has continued to play well since then, but he has been hampered by injuries at times. He missed eight games with a shoulder injury in 2010 and three games with a back injury in 2016.

Despite those injury setbacks, Stafford has remained one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. He has thrown for more than 4,200 yards in four of the last five seasons, and he led the league with 827 passing yards during a four-game stretch in 2017. He has also shown an ability to make big plays in clutch situations, leading seven game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime since 2011.

Conclusion

Matt Stafford has played in the NFL for 12 years.