Reports: Matthew Stafford Will Be Highest-Paid Player In NFL History

According to reports from Adam Schefter of ESPN and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, a new contract extension has Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford poised to become the highest-paid player in NFL history.

Schefter was the first to report the five-year extension itself, which has since been confirmed by the Lions:

Rapoport followed as the first to report the dollar amount, which is extremely high and as of yet unconfirmed:

Of course, given the nature of NFL contracts—not guaranteed, often incentive-laden, frequently with uneven timelines for being paid out— there will be a lot more to Stafford’s record payday than just that figure. The league’s highest-paid player right now, as Schefter noted, is Derek Carr and his $25 million per year. Before this contract, Stafford was making an average of $17.7 million per year under a previous extension signed with the team in 2013.

Stafford, 29, is coming off one of his best seasons since being drafted No. 1 in 2009. He already holds the franchise records for passing yards, completions and touchdowns.