Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford edged New England Patriots counterpart Drake Maye to win the NFL Most Valuable Player award Thursday night, then made news in his acceptance speech by announcing he’ll return next season.
Stafford received 24 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 366 points. Maye got 23 first-place votes and finished with 361 points. It was the closest race since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were co-winners in 2003.
In his 17th NFL season, the 37-year-old Stafford became the oldest player in NFL history at the time of his first MVP. He also became the third-oldest player to win MVP, behind Tom Brady (2017) and Aaron Rodgers (2021).
Stafford brought his four daughters — all dressed in identical black-and-white dresses — to the stage to accept the award at the NFL Honors show.
He thanked his team and saved his wife and daughters for last: “You’re unbelievable cheerleaders for me. I appreciate it. I am so happy to have you at the games on the sideline with me, and I can’t wait for you to cheer me on next year when we’re out there kicking ass.”
It was Stafford’s way of announcing that he will be back next season after contemplating retirement.
Over the last two months of the regular season, Stafford and Maye flip-flopped multiple times in the odds to win MVP, with Stafford emerging as the favorite after Week 18. He also was named an AP first team All-Pro for the first time in his career.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the 2024 MVP, received two first-place votes, while Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert got the other. Allen finished third in voting, followed by San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Stafford, who won Super Bowl LVI with Los Angeles in the 2021 season, became the fourth Rams player to be named MVP (Roman Gabriel in 1969, Kurt Warner in 1999 and 2001, and Marshall Faulk in 2000). Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards, as well as a career-high 46 passing touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
Stafford became the first player to win MVP for a team outside the top two seeds since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, only eight players have won MVP for nondivision winners, including just two quarterbacks (McNair in ’03, Peyton Manning in 2008). The Rams secured the fifth seed in the NFC after finishing second in the NFC West with a 12-5 record.
Los Angeles fell short of the Super Bowl after losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. After that defeat, the focus turned to Stafford’s future in the NFL, but the veteran QB assured fans Thursday night that he’ll be back for an 18th season.
“I’ll see you guys next year,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m not at this event and we’re getting ready for another game at SoFi.”
The Rams’ home stadium will host the Super Bowl in 2027.
Maye led the Patriots to a 14-3 record, the AFC East title and the second seed in the AFC in his second season. They’ll play the Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Maye had a breakout sophomore season, leading the NFL in passer rating (113.5), completion percentage (72.0%) and yards per attempt (8.9), and throwing for 4,394 yards, along with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The 23-year-old became the youngest player since the merger to lead the NFL in completion percentage, surpassing the previous mark set by 24-year-old Joe Montana in 1980.
A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.
Voters selected a top five for the eight AP NFL awards. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
