After Signing A Contract Extension, Matthew Stafford Will Be The First Player In NFL History To Hit $500 Million In Career Earnings

Earlier this month, Aaron Rodgers re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year contract. The deal will put him north of $400 million in career earnings, just the second NFL player to hit that milestone. Yet he's still got a ways to go before he catches Matthew Stafford, who's in the top spot. And now, the distance between the two is even larger.

Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a one-year extension worth $55 million. The deal could balloon to $60 million with incentives. That extension is for the 2027 season; Stafford is already under contract for this upcoming year with a one-year, $40 million deal.

To date, Stafford has made a little over $408.3 million in his career. This new deal will give him, at minimum, $95 million over the next two seasons. A little quick math shows that he'll end the 2027 season with at least $503.3 million in career earnings—breaking the half-a-billion mark.

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As of now, Stafford's $55 million average annual value for the 2027 season will be the second-highest in the NFL. Only Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys ($60 million) has a contract worth more per year.

The Detroit Lions selected Stafford with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. He spent 12 seasons in Detroit, reaching the playoffs just three times. All of those postseason games were losses.

In 2021, the Lions traded Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff. In his first season in L.A., Stafford led the Rams to four playoff victories, culminating in winning Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Rams have reached the playoffs in four of five seasons since Stafford's arrival. Last year, the Rams advanced to the NFC Championship Game, losing a tight battle against their NFC West rival, the Seattle Seahawks.

At 38, Stafford likely only has a few seasons remaining in his NFL career. The Rams are building his succession plan, drafting Ty Simpson out of Alabama with the 13th overall pick in this year's draft.

But don't count Stafford out just yet. He's coming off an MVP season and is still playing at an elite level. Though perhaps you'd expect that from the highest-paid player in NFL history.