Seventeen seasons into a distinguished career, Matthew Stafford has added the league’s highest individual honor to his résumé.
The Los Angeles Rams quarterback was named the 2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player on Thursday night at NFL Honors in San Francisco, prevailing in one of the closest MVP races in modern history. Stafford edged Patriots quarterback Drake Maye by the slimmest of margins, receiving 366 points and 24 first-place votes to Maye’s 361 points and 23 first-place votes. Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert collected the remaining three first-place votes.
In a moment that resonated with Rams fans, Stafford also made it clear during his acceptance speech that his career is not nearing its end. The 37-year-old confirmed he plans to return for the 2026 season, quipping that he hopes next year he won’t be attending NFL Honors but instead preparing for the Super Bowl.
Entering the 2025 campaign as a two-time Pro Bowler, Stafford delivered the finest season of his career. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection, his first first-team All-Pro honor and now his first MVP award. Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707), yards per game (276.9) and passing touchdowns (46) while throwing just eight interceptions. He ranked second in passer rating at 109.2 and paced the league with 236 passing first downs.
Stafford’s performance powered the NFL’s top-scoring offense at 30.5 points per game and guided the Rams to a 12-5 regular-season record and the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs.
The season began with questions about Stafford’s health after back issues sidelined him late in the previous year. Those concerns quickly evaporated. He looked sharp and fearless from Week 1, carving up defenses with precision throws, off-platform passes and a command of Sean McVay’s offense that defined the Rams’ resurgence.
Selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in 2009, Stafford spent years labeled as a prolific passer stuck on losing teams. Since arriving in Los Angeles in 2021, he has rewritten that narrative, elevating the Rams to championship contention and capturing Super Bowl LVI along the way.
Now, with an MVP trophy and a first-team All-Pro honor added to his Super Bowl ring, Stafford’s place among the NFL’s elite is firmly secured — and his Hall of Fame case grows stronger with each passing season.
