Matthew Stafford won the first MVP award of his career on Thursday. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback won the trophy in the closest race for the award since 2003, when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair finished in a tie. And the NFL world was pleased with the veteran’s win.
NFL World Reacts To Matthew Stafford Winning The MVP Award
Stafford earned 24 first-place votes, while Drake Maye had 23. The veteran outlasted the second-year passer by the finest of margins, highlighting how great both of them played in the regular season. Ultimately, the Rams’ quarterback won the individual prize.
The NFL world was impressed with how close the vote was. Stafford had 366 points, and Maye amassed 361. Cameron Wolfe noted how there was a long period between the previous MVP race and the 2025 season, with such a close score:
Wow, Matthew Stafford beats out Drake Maye by just 5 points (1 first place vote) for MVP.
Closest MVP race in a very long time. https://t.co/k9ypLDNezh
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) February 6, 2026
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ESPN reporter Adam Schefter also remembered the 2003 race. There was no consensus MVP that year, with Peyton Manning and the late Steve McNair named the league’s co-MVPs.
The 2025 NFL MVP race was the closest since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the award in 2003. Stafford edged Maye 366–361 in total points, winning 24 first-place votes to Maye’s 23. https://t.co/Jzv0XSV8Sl
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 6, 2026
Reporter Mike Garafolo called the race “a squeaker” after such a close result:
A squeaker! https://t.co/WBa0idD8fT
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 6, 2026
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin reacted by mentioning Stafford’s numbers throughout the season, noting how he led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns:
Matthew Stafford at age 37
1st in Passing Yards (4,707)
1st in Passing TDs (46)
Took Rams to the NFC Championship GameOne of the most talented QBs we have ever seen and the “No Look” King.
Matthew Stafford earned this NFL MVP. pic.twitter.com/hog9Ku8nWy
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 6, 2026
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin noted that Maye lost the award by a single first-place vote, which went to Justin Herbert. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback wasn’t even a finalist for the MVP award:
Drake Maye lost the MVP because he had one less first-place vote than Matthew Stafford. That one vote went to someone – Justin Herbert – who wasn’t even a finalist.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) February 6, 2026
Finally, Sam Monson revealed himself as the lone voter for Herbert’s MVP. He justified his choice by saying that Herbert had the league’s worst offensive line and saying that he worked miracles almost every game of the season:
I was the Justin Herbert vote.
The guy had the worst offensive line in the NFL all season and despite that he was working miracles in almost every single game.
Stafford’s OL became 2/5ths as bad as Herbert’s for 5 minutes and he became a turnover howitzer.
He embodied ‘value’.
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) February 6, 2026
Maye did not win the MVP award, but Mike Vrabel, his coach, was voted the Coach of the Year; Stafford was the lone award winner for the Los Angeles Rams, with Puka Nacua finishing 3rd in the race for Offensive Player of the Year.
