Casual observers who look at Matthew Stafford’s numbers from the 2023 season may not think he was all that impressive: 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. It’s a solid stat line but not one that will win any MVP awards.
You had to have actually watched Stafford play last season to know just how good he was. It’s why he finished eighth in MVP voting and was named to his second career Pro Bowl. He truly was one of the best quarterbacks in football on a week-to-week basis.
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms releases his own quarterback rankings each year and he paid Stafford some serious respect in his 2024 edition. Simms ranked Stafford No. 5 heading into the 2024 season, only one spot behind reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
“This is one of the greatest arms in NFL history,” Simms said on his podcast. “This is not just like, ‘Oh, great arm and we’re talking about him right now.’ This is one of the greatest arms in NFL history. The Marinos, the Favres, the Rodgers, the Mahomes. Josh Allen. Anybody else I’m missing, no disrespect there. … One of the greatest throwers in history, as well.”
Simms heaped praise on Stafford for his arm strength, off-platform throws and intelligence on the field. He ranked Stafford No. 10 last year because he was worried about a drop-off after an injury-plagued 2022 season, but Simms is all-in on the Rams quarterback still being a top passer in the league.
He even called Stafford “one of the most disrespected players of this generation,” which stems from his lack of team success in Detroit before winning a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021.
There aren’t many analysts giving Stafford the amount of credit and praise that Simms gave him in his 2024 rankings, but it’s always good to see someone ranking Stafford where he belongs: in the top 10.
