Matthew Stafford won the 2025 NFL MVP.
This prestigious award, announced at the NFL Honors on February 5, 2026, in San Francisco, went to the Los Angeles Rams quarterback in an incredibly tight race.

Award Details

Stafford earned 366 points with 24 first-place votes, narrowly beating New England Patriots QB Drake Maye, who scored 361 points and 23 first-place votes.

The NFL's points system awards 10 for first place, 5 for second, and so on down to 1 for fifth—making this the closest MVP vote since the 2003 co-winners Peyton Manning and Steve McNair.

Stafford led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, including an NFL-record 28 straight passes without an interception.

Why Stafford?

Despite the Rams finishing second in the NFC West behind the Seahawks, Stafford's elite play stood out—first QB to win MVP without a division title since 2008.

From Weeks 4-11, he threw 25 TDs with zero picks (118.9 passer rating), overcoming a rocky start and late-season dips.

He also quashed retirement talk in his speech: "I'll see you guys next year."

Close Competition

Player| Team| Points| 1st-Place Votes| Key Stats
---|---|---|---|---
Matthew Stafford| Rams| 366| 24| 4,707 yds, 46 TDs, 118.9 rating peak 1
Drake Maye| Patriots| 361| 23| Led NFL completion %, 8.9 yds/attempt, AFC East champs 1
Others (e.g., Josh Allen, Justin Herbert)| Various| Fewer| 3 combined 1st- place| Scattered votes 1

Maye impressed in Year 2, but Stafford got more All-Pro nods (31 vs. 18 from same voters).

A single vote flip could've tied or flipped it—highlighting voter drama.

Fan & Forum Buzz

  • Reddit's r/nfl lit up: "The 2025 NFL MVP is Matthew Stafford!" with instant threads.
  • X (Twitter) reactions noted the razor-thin margin, calling it nail-biting.
  • Past debates (e.g., 2024 Reddit on "value vs. stats") echo how narratives like Stafford's late surge sway voters.

This win cements Stafford's Hall of Fame case after 17 years—truly a story of perseverance.

TL;DR: Rams QB Matthew Stafford clinched the 2025 NFL MVP in the tightest vote in over 20 years, edging Drake Maye with elite stats despite no division win.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.