Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is about to become the first signal-caller to hit $400 million in total career pay playing in the NFL.
The accomplished passer was drafted first overall back in 2009. Over 12 seasons wearing the Honolulu blue, Stafford took home $219 million in earnings from the Lions.
He benefited greatly from the old rookie pay system, which let incoming players sign huge contracts without tight limits. His debut NFL contract was worth $72 million across six years.
When Detroit opted to overhaul its leadership in 2021, the franchise and Stafford mutually decided to part ways. GM Brad Holmes found a trade partner in the Los Angeles Rams, a deal that helped jumpstart Detroit’s rebuilding process.
Since landing with the NFC West contender, the ex-Georgia Bulldog has added $145 million more to his bank account.
Both Stafford and fellow veteran Aaron Rodgers are nearing the mark to become the first quarterbacks ever to surpass $400 million in total salary earnings.
As CBS Sports noted, “The Rams quarterback signed a deal this offseason guaranteeing him $44 million for the 2025 campaign. NFL Media reports Stafford has already received $4 million of that, with the remaining $40 million fully locked in — meaning he’ll wrap up 2025 with at least $404 million overall.”
Other top quarterbacks continuing to rack up major paydays include Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins.
Mahomes agreed to a gigantic 10-year, $503 million extension back in July 2020.
As John Breech writes, “Another active quarterback soon to cross the $300 million mark is Kirk Cousins. The Falcons’ backup QB has banked $294.2 million so far and will add another $27.5 million in 2025, pushing his career haul to $321.7 million.”
