SAN FRANCISCO — Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford squeezed past New England signal-caller Drake Maye to win the NFL Most Valuable Player award on Thursday night.
Stafford, 37, the oldest player to win MVP honors, said during his acceptance speech that he would return to play for the 2026 season.
“I’ll see you guys next year,” Stafford said.
Stafford accepted the award at the “NFL Honors” show in San Francisco, flanked by his four daughters.
Stafford, a 17-year veteran, received 24 of 50 first-place votes to finish with 366 points. Maye, 23, who led New England to the Super Bowl in his second season, drew 23 first-place votes and collected 361 points.
After 17 years in the league, Matthew Stafford is officially an MVP.#NFLHonors | @Invisalign pic.twitter.com/4GO1hKZXT6
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2026
It was the closest race for MVP honors since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were co-winners in 2003, ESPN reported.
Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards, 276.9 yards per game, and 46 touchdowns, according to NFL.com.
Stafford, who won Super Bowl LVI with Los Angeles during the 2021 season, is the fourth Rams player to win MVP honors, ESPN reported. The others were Roman Gabriel in 1969, Kurt Warner in 1999 and 2001, and Marshall Faulk in 2000.
Matthew Stafford brought his kids on his stage to accept the MVP Award ❤️
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2026
NFL Honors on NBC/NFL Network
Stream on @NFLPlus & Peacock pic.twitter.com/AXkKhTP4Pp
Maye led the Patriots to a 14-3 regular-season record and the AFC East title. He engineered three playoff victories to lift New England into Super Bowl LX on Sunday.
His coach, Mike Vrabel, was named the NFL’s coach of the year.
Here is the complete list of winners from Thursday’s show:
- NFL MVP: Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
- Coach of the Year: Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
- Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
- Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
- Comeback Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
- Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
- Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns
- Assistant Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, New England Patriots
- Walter Payton Man of the Year: Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders
- Protector of the Year: Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears
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