Matthew Stafford entered the 2023 season having to prove some doubters wrong. Injuries wrecked the veteran quarterback’s Super Bowl defense for the Los Angeles Rams, but Stafford came through in a huge way as he led his team to the postseason with a bounce-back campaign.
Stafford passed for 3,965 yards in 15 starts — he missed one game due to injury and was benched in Week 18 — with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had a 62.6 completion percentage, a 92.5 passer rating and a 63.5 QBR. Stafford finished eighth in MVP voting, fourth in comeback player of the year voting and was named to his second career Pro Bowl.
And his performance in 2023 reminded everyone just how great Stafford can be at his best, as it skyrocketed him back on to the NFL Top 100 List all the way back up to No. 42.
Ladies and gentlemen, Matthew Stafford.
9️⃣ makes his seventh career appearance on the #NFLTop100! 👏 pic.twitter.com/wwBRFy11Ib
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) July 27, 2024
Stafford ranked at No. 27 on the 2022 edition of the NFL Top 100 after the Rams Super Bowl championship. He was kicked off the list entirely when injuries came around and limited him to nine games in 2022, likely more than he should have played given the severity of his injuries.
But he finds himself back on the list — and in the top 50 — after the 2023 comeback. Stafford remains one of the game’s best quarterbacks even as he enters his age-36 campaign. He ranks between Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson (41) and Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (43).
The nearest quarterback to Stafford on the list is, ironically enough, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who came in at No. 48, moving up 18 spots from the previous year.
At Stafford’s age, he is nearing a place where every season could be his last within the top 100. But it would be hard to count him out, as he has long been one of the toughest and most talented QBs the NFL has to offer.
Matthew Stafford is third Ram to make Top 100
Matthew Stafford is the third Rams player to appear on the NFL Top 100, joining two of his offensive running mates in the mix. Running back Kyren Williams was the first Ram to appear, coming in at No. 78 after his breakout season. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp came in at No. 69 after a season that saw him take a slight backseat to standout rookie Puka Nacua, who will pop up somewhere on the list as well.
