Matthew Stafford beats out Drake Maye for NFL MVP award before returning to Los Angeles Rams for 2026 season | NFL News
Matthew Stafford won the NFL Most Valuable Player award before announcing he is returning to the Los Angeles Rams for another season.
Stafford tied Drake May for the MVP award Thursday night in the closest race since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the win in 2003.
Stafford received 24 of 50 first-place votes, and May, who will play for the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday’s Super Bowl, received 23.
Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, wants another chance to try and win his second Super Bowl ring with the Rams.
“Oh yes, I’ll be back,” she said. “It’s been an amazing season, and I play with such a great team and a great team of coaches that I was lucky enough to finish this season healthy, and I want to make sure I get out there and see what happens next year.
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Stafford brought her four daughters — all dressed in matching black-and-white dresses — to the stage to accept the award.
He thanked his team and saved his wife and daughters in the end: “You’re incredible cheerleaders for me. I appreciate it. I’m so happy to have you on the sidelines with me at games, and I can’t wait for you to cheer me on next year.”
It was Stafford’s way of announcing he would be back next season after considering retirement.
Myles Garrett was the consensus choice for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award after setting a season record for sacks with 23.
All-Pro wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njigba beat out Christian McCaffrey for the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.
New England’s Mike Vrabel beat out Jacksonville’s Liam Coyne for the NFL Coach of the Year award, becoming the seventh coach to win it with two different teams.
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Former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald told Sky Sports why he thinks Stafford should be the NFL MVP
McCaffrey became the first running back in 24 years to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Browns linebacker Carson Schweisinger was the runaway winner for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Panthers wide receiver Tetyroa McMillan ran away with the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels won the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award in the first season of his third tenure with the team.
A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league complete the voting before the playoffs begin.
Voters chose the top five for eight NFL awards. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth place votes were worth five, three, two and one points.
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Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, received two first-place MVP votes, and Justin Herbert received the other.
Stafford, who earned first-team All-Pro honours for the first time in his 17-year career,
finished with 366 points to Meyer’s 361. Allen finished third with 91 points, followed by Christian McCaffrey (71) in fourth and Trevor Lawrence (49) in fifth.
It was McCaffrey’s second top-five finish in three years since the weighted point system was implemented in 2022, more than any other non-quarterback.
Stafford leads the NFL with 4,707 yards passing and 46 TDs. He threw eight picks and finished second to Mother with a 109.2 passer rating. Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams lost to Seattle in the NFC Championship game.
Mother had 4,394 yards passing, 31 TDs and eight picks. The second-year pro leads the league in passer rating (113.5) and completion percentage (72).
Coach of the Year
Vrabel could win his first Super Bowl title as a head coach on Sunday if the Patriots beat the Seahawks. Sky Sports. He received 19 first-place votes to Coyne’s 16 and finished with 302 points.
Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year with the Titans, led the Patriots from worst to first in the AFC East, a 10-win turnaround in his first season in New England.
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Coyne had 239 points after leading the Jacksonville Jaguars to 13 wins and an AFC South title in his first season.
Seattle’s Mike McDonald finished third (191) with eight first-place votes. Chicago’s Ben Johnson received one first-place vote and came in fourth (145). San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan finished fifth (140) with six first-place votes.
Defensive Player of the Year
Garrett received 50 first-place votes to become the ninth player to win DPOY multiple times and the second unanimous choice behind JJ Watt, who did so in 2014. Cleveland’s edge rusher was also a consensus All-Pro selection. Garrett previously won the award in 2023.
“It doesn’t just start with me,” he said. “It starts with great teammates, a great organisation, and great coaches to be able to put us in position. I’m thankful for every teammate for helping me get here. It wouldn’t be possible without them.”
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See all of Myles Garrett’s 23 sacks in one season for the Cleveland Browns
Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr finished second with 77 points, followed by Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons third (63) and Broncos edge rusher Nick Bonito (52) and Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (42).
Garrett surpassed both Michael Strahan (22.5) and TJ Watt (22.5) when he sacked Joe Burrow in the final game of the regular season.
Offensive Player of the Year
Smith-Nzigba received 14 first-place votes to McCaffrey’s 12 and finished with 272 points. McCaffrey, who won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, had 223 points.
Smith-Nzigba caught 119 passes and led the league with 1,793 receiving yards. He had 10 TDs.
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The Seattle Seahawks’ best plays came from the impressive connection between their quarterback, Sam Darnold, and wide receiver, Jackson Smith-Njigba.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nakua, a consensus All-Pro like Smith-Nzigba, finished third with eight first-place votes and 170 points. Falcons All-Pro running back Bijon Robinson was right behind him with six first-place votes and 168 points.
Comeback Player of the Year
McCaffrey, San Francisco’s All-Pro do-it-all back, received 31 first-place votes and 395 points, surpassing Aidan Hutchinson. Garrison Hurst was the last runner to win it in 2001.
Hutchinson received nine first-place votes and 221 points. Dak Prescott came in third with six first-place votes and 167 points. Lawrence finished fourth (130) with two first-place votes. Stefon Diggs came in fifth (40).
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Christian McCaffrey’s best play of the regular season, after finishing another year with 2,000 scrimmage yards
Philip Rivers and Chris Olave each received one first-place vote.
McCaffrey played just four games in 2024 due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis and then suffered a season-ending PCL knee injury. He returned to play every game for the 49ers and had 2,126 yards from scrimmage and 17 TDs.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Schweisinger received 40 first-place votes and 441 points to become the sixth player in the last 45 seasons to win the award after not being selected in the first round. Shaq Leonard (2018) and DeMeco Ryans (2006) were the only others in the past 20 seasons. Cleveland selected Schweisinger at No. 33 overall in the second round.
Versatile Seahawks defensive back Nick Emmanouel finished second with seven first-place votes (199).
Offensive Rookie of the Year
McMillan earned 41 first-place votes after catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven TDs.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shoff received five first-place votes and finished second with 168 points to McMillan’s 445.
Assistant Coach of the Year
McDaniels received 17 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 249 points. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph finished second with 10 first-place votes and 176 points.
Watch the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday 8 February, with live coverage on Sky Sports NFL at 10pm ahead of kick-off at around 11.30pm
