Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was announced Thursday evening as the recipient of the NFL’s MVP award for the 2025 season and said he would return to play for a 18th season.
The voting was the closest since the 2003 season when then-Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and the late Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair were co-winners.
Stafford had 366 voting points, five more than the runner-up, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Stafford received 24 of 50 first-place votes from the nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league, Maye received 23. Voting was completed voting before the playoffs began.
Voting was conducted by The Associated Press on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis.
Stafford thanked a long list of people from the stage at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco for the NFL Honors ceremony was conducted, beginning with his parents John and Margaret and sister Page for “taking me to the park, the endless hours and time that you spent helping me chase my dream,” owner Stan Kroenke, general manger Les Snead, coach Sean McVay and his teammates.
He also praised his wife Kelly, who was seated in the audience, and his daughters, twins Chandler and Sawyer, who will turn 10 in April, 7-year-old Hunter, and Tyler, who were standing next to him on the stage, dressed in identical black-and-white dresses.
“You’re unbelievable cheerleaders for me,” said Stafford, who will turn 38 Saturday. “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.”
Stafford threw for a league-high 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns helping the Rams to a 12-5 record, matching the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best record in the NFC behind the 14-3 Seattle Seahawks.
Stafford became the third player to throw 45 or more touchdown passes with less than 10 interceptions. The others — Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers — were also selected as the MVP in the seasons they accomplished the feat.