The #1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of the game’s rising stars. Stafford claimed the 2011 Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after beating out six other players who received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members. Stafford, who fought through injuries his first two seasons, threw for more than 5,000 yards in 2011 to lead Detroit to its first playoff berth in 12 years.
Named the team’s starter prior to his first NFL snap, Stafford threw for 13 touchdowns and 2,267 yards, and rushed for two touchdowns in 10 games before having his season ended by shoulder and knee injuries. He led the Lions to their first win in nearly two calendar years, a Week 3 victory over the Redskins.
In a November 2009 game against Cleveland, Stafford became the youngest quarterback to throw for five touchdowns in a game, doing so in a 38-37 win. Stafford threw the last, game-winning touchdown as time expired, all with a separated shoulder suffered the previous play. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week and Pepsi Rookie of the Week following the game. The five touchdowns and 422 yards he threw for were the most ever for a rookie.
Before entering the NFL Stafford played football at the University of Georgia, where he led the Bulldogs to national title contention. He earned several awards during his time at Georgia, including twice being named the MVP of a bowl game (Capital One Bowl in 2009, Chick-fil-A Bowl in 2006). In his junior season, he was a Pro Football Weekly All-American and was named Second-team All-SEC, and was on the early-season Heisman Award Watch List. Based largely on Stafford’s arm, the Bulldogs were ranked #1 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches preseason polls. As a freshman in 2006, he was twice the SEC Freshman of the Week and was on the SEC Coaches All-Freshmen Team. In three years with the Bulldogs, Stafford had a knack for the big game, going 3-0 in bowl games, and 6-3 against rivals Florida, Georgia Tech and Auburn.
As a high school senior in Dallas, Stafford led his Highland Park team to a 15-0 record and the Texas UIL 4-A Division 1 Championship. He was a Parade All-American and the 2005 EA Sports National Player of the Year, leading many, including ESPN Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., to suggest he could one day be the number 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, which he was in 2009.
Stafford was born February 7, 1988 in Tampa, Florida.
Matthew Stafford, Quarterback for the Detroit Lions, is available exclusively through IMG Speakers bureau for speaking engagements. Matthew Stafford is also available for celebrity appearances, corporate hospitality events, meet and greets, and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Matthew Stafford.
