Photo Credit: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough
Matthew Stafford waited 17 seasons for his first NFL MVP award. He won it by five points.
The Los Angeles Rams quarterback narrowly defeated New England Patriots star Drake Maye on Thursday night at NFL Honors, claiming the 2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in the tightest race since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the honor in 2003.
Stafford collected 24 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 366 total points. Maye earned 23 first-place votes and 361 points. Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chargers passer Justin Herbert received the remaining first-place votes.
Then Stafford delivered the night’s second headline.
“I’ll see you guys next year,” he said during his acceptance speech, confirming he will return for an 18th NFL season after weeks of retirement speculation.
A Historic Season at Age 37
Stafford, 37, became the oldest player in NFL history at the time of his first MVP and the third-oldest winner overall, behind only Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
He led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and a career-high 46 touchdown passes while throwing just eight interceptions. He also earned his first career AP first-team All-Pro selection and guided the Rams to a 12-5 record and the NFC’s fifth seed.
Los Angeles fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, but Stafford’s late-season surge flipped MVP odds in his favor after Week 18.
He became the first player to win MVP for a team outside the conference’s top two seeds since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Since the 1970 merger, only two quarterbacks — McNair in 2003 and Manning in 2008 — had previously won MVP without winning their division.
The Maye Challenge Made It a Classic Race
Maye’s second season in New England turned the MVP vote into a photo finish.
The 23-year-old led the league in passer rating (113.5), completion percentage (72.0%) and yards per attempt (8.9) while throwing for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He guided the Patriots to a 14-3 record, an AFC East title and the conference’s No. 2 seed. New England will face Seattle in Super Bowl LX on Sunday.
Maye became the youngest player since the merger to lead the league in completion percentage, surpassing Joe Montana’s mark set at age 24 in 1980.
Cementing a Hall of Fame Case
Stafford’s MVP adds another defining achievement to a résumé that already includes a Super Bowl LVI title, over 64,000 career passing yards and a reputation as one of the league’s toughest quarterbacks.
He became the fourth Rams player to win MVP, joining Roman Gabriel, Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk.
Once viewed as a stat-heavy quarterback on losing Detroit teams, Stafford has reshaped that narrative in Los Angeles. An MVP, a Super Bowl ring and an All-Pro nod now strengthen what already looked like a compelling Hall of Fame case.
With SoFi Stadium set to host the Super Bowl in 2027, Stafford left fans with a parting thought.
“Hopefully, I’m not at this event next year,” he said, “and we’re getting ready for another game at SoFi.”
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