The rest of the NFL finally gives Rams’ Matthew Stafford the respect he deserves in annual release of quarterback tiers
It’s about time.
Matthew Stafford has been in the NFL since 2009.
Spending a lot of his prime in Detroit, the talent of Stafford was seldom realized on a national level, or at least not with the attention he deserved until he headed to California.
But after putting together another excellent year in L.A., often with injuries to both himself and those around him, Stafford has finally leaped into tier one of The Athletic’s annual rankings…
Matthew Stafford jumps to tier 1 of The Athletic’s annual QB tier list
“I always had a high admiration for him as a competitor, arm talent and playmaker, but always thought he was a gunslinger,” one voter told The Athletic’s Mike Sando. “He still has that in him, but his mind, his ability to process, think, and communicate, stand out.”
What’s key to remember here is that all of these tier listings are voted on by NFL personnel. For the past 11 seasons, Stafford was ranked in tier two by NFL evaluators, often just along the edge of what is viewed as the premier passers in the league. But in 2025, it seems like most of the league said enough is enough…
“I guarantee all your 1s for Stafford came from offensive coaches,” a defensive coordinator told Sando. “Offensive coaches kiss this guy’s ass all the time, especially guys from that system. He’s really good, though. I would take him over (Justin) Herbert because he is a better passer, with better timing.”
There is no doubt that being in Sean McVay’s system has elevated Stafford’s career arc. But what that coordinator may be forgetting is that McVay kicked a former number one overall pick to the curb for Stafford, under the pretenses that he could win a Super Bowl with him, and he did just that.
Some traits just transcend a system. When you have the arm talent to lace the football with high velocity yet delicate touch, the anticipation to throw WRs open over the middle, and the instincts to feel a pass rush the way Stafford does, you will thrive in any system.
The only knock on Stafford to this point has been durability, and it continues to make headlines this week, as his back issues are plaguing his practice time yet again.
But what should be a unanimous understanding around the league is that when Stafford is on, he’s one of the best in the sport.
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