Matthew Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 and led the team to its first Super Bowl victory that same season. Now, he’s trying to lead the Rams on another deep postseason run, and it begins with a Wild Card matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.
Stafford has had an impressive NFL career since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, and he has made a ton of money over the years. Let’s examine Stafford’s contract, salary, net worth, and career earnings.
Matthew Stafford’s Contract and Salary
After Stafford was traded to the Rams, the veteran quarterback signed a four-year, $160 million contract that included a $60 million signing bonus and $130 million guaranteed.
His average annual salary is $40 million, which ranks 15th among quarterbacks this season.
Stafford’s base salary is $23.5 million this year, and additional bonuses bring his cap hit to $46.1 million.
MORE: Who Are the NFL’s Highest-Paid Quarterbacks?
In 2017, Stafford was the highest-paid player in the NFL after signing a record-breaking five-year, $135 million extension with the Detroit Lions. However, now, his $40 million salary is a bargain considering his production and what other quarterbacks around the NFL are getting paid.
Stafford entered the season earning the same amount as former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and less than Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson ($46 million) and Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence ($55 million).
Stafford’s Net Worth and Career Earnings
Stafford’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $150 million.
Stafford has earned $364.3 million from his NFL contracts alone, so this net-worth estimate might be a bit low.
Stafford has the second-highest career earnings in NFL history, trailing only New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($380.6 million). For reference, legendary quarterback Tom Brady ranks third in all-time career earnings with $332.9 million.
That figure doesn’t even include Stafford’s lucrative endorsement deals with major brands such as Nike, PepsiCo, Ford Motors, Fanatics, and Panini.
His endorsements reportedly bring in roughly $2 million a year.
Also, Stafford and his wife, Kelly, are part owners of the NWSL soccer club Angel City FC. They invested in the team alongside actor Gabrielle Union, former NFL center Ryan Kalil, WNBA legend Candace Parker, and tennis star Serena Williams.
“We fell in love with attending an Angel City game last season and wanted our daughters to experience something so important and powerful first-hand,” the Staffords said in a statement.
Stafford has had a terrific NFL career, and he has done incredibly well for himself off the field as well.
Rams vs. Eagles Game Preview
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- Time: 3 PM ET
- Channel – NBC
The winner of this game will play the winner of the other NFC Divisional round game between the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. Whichever team holds the better regular season record will play host to the Conference Championship.
The Eagles started September off with some hiccups, going into their week 5 bye with a 2-2 record. However, they reeled off a 10-game winning streak on the other end, securing the NFC East division title with weeks to spare.
Since 2000, the average Super Bowl participant allowed a first down on 37.4% of third downs and a touchdown on 52.3% of red-zone trips during the regular season. The Eagles and Lions are the only two remaining NFC teams meeting both these benchmarks.
Philadelphia’s defense has been a consistent strength this season, with an average Defense+ grade of 79.9. The Eagles are an undefeated 14-0 when their Defense+ grade reaches 75 or higher, including an 81.8 mark in last week’s win over the Packers.
The Eagles’ running game has also taken a significant leap forward this year, led by Saquon Barkley. Philadelphia’s running backs are averaging 17.5% more yards per carry after first contact, compared to last season.
The Rams have played four games against playoff teams since their Week 6 bye — they’ve scored an average of 30.3 points in those games.
But on the darker side, the Rams had a -1.12 average point differential during the regular season. In the 21st century, the 2011 Giants are the only team to advance to championship weekend after posting a negative point differential during the regular season.
However, a close game won’t scare the Rams. They had 15 games this season decided by 10 or fewer points, the most in the league. This holds the same for the Eagles, who hold a 7-1 record in clutch games in 2024.
Based on 10,000 simulations run by the PFN Playoff Predictor, the Eagles have a 63.2% win probability heading into the game.
