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lionswire.usatoday.com]
Happy birthday to Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford! The Lions longtime QB turns 32 today (Feb. 7th).
Stafford has already played 11 NFL seasons at his relatively young age. He ranks very high in a plethora of historical categories for NFL players through age 31.
Here are a few examples of Stafford’s historical rankings:
Passing yards – 41,205, second (Peyton Manning 41,626)Worth noting that Stafford has played in 149 career games, 11 fewer than Manning did on his 32nd birthday.
Passing TDs – 256, third (Manning 306 and Dan Marino 290)Completions – 3,559, first (Manning 3,468 is next)
Attempts – 5,696, first (Drew Bledsoe 5,599 is 2nd)
Interceptions – 138, 17thMarino and Bledsoe top the INT list with 165 apiece. Most of the other QBs above Stafford here played in the less passer-friendly era before Marino, a list that includes five Pro Football Hall of Famers. Stafford’s INT rate of 2.35 (INTs thrown per 100 throws) is 16th-best all-time for his age. Aaron Rodgers is the best at 1.64.
Sacked – 347, 6th
Randall Cunningham was sacked 439 times in just 103 career starts by his 32nd birthday. Stafford has been sacked the exact same amount of times as Russell Wilson, who turns 32 in November. Stafford has the same career sack rate (5.7 sacks per 100 dropbacks) as Brett Favre, Dan Fouts and Troy Aikman when those Hall of Famers all turned 32.
Pick-sixes – 20, 1st (Marino, 16)
Not a category Stafford wants to lead…Game-winning drives – 34, 1st (Matt Ryan and Marino, 32)
4th quarter comebacks – 28, 1st (Ryan, 24)
No quarterback has ever created more late-game victories prior to age 32 than Matthew Stafford.ME: So other than the pick 6 stat, he has done extremely well on teams that have not been that good. I had no idea on the 4th qtr comebacks. This obviously lacks the 2020 season.
Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok
