Many expected the 2025 NFL MVP race to be a close one.
And when the results were released Thursday night after the NFL Honors ceremony, the numbers showed it was a razor-thin decision.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford edged out New England Patriots QB Drake Maye to win his first MVP award. Stafford was considered the betting favorite (-135) heading into NFL Honors on Friday, but Maye was a close second (+105).
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen finished third with 91 points and 2 first-place votes, while San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey finished fourth with 71 points, and Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence finished fifth with 49 points.
Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert also received one first-place vote.
Patriots Take Jab at MVP Results
GettyNew England Patriots QB Drake Maye and his wife Ann Michael Maye
Stafford finished with 366 total points, including 23 first-place votes. Maye finished second with 361 points and 23 first-place votes, marking the closest MVP vote since 2003 when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were named co-MVPs.
Despite Maye’s narrow defeat, the Patriots took to social media with a sharp 5-word message letting everyone know exactly how they felt about Stafford’s MVP win.
“Bigger trophy on the mind,” the Patriots posted on X along with a photo of Maye.
Maye, of course, will lead the Patriots into Levi’s Stadium on Sunday for Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks — the very team that eliminated Stafford and the Rams two weeks ago in the NFC Championship Game.
Stafford had one of the best seasons of his 17-year NFL career. The 37-year-old QB threw for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions with a 109.2 passer rating.
He set new career highs in touchdown passes and passer rating, he matched the second-lowest interception total and hit the fourth-most passing yards of his career as well.
Conversely, Maye had a career year, throwing for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions with a 113.5 passer rating. He also led the NFL in completion percentage (72%), becoming the youngest player since the merger to league the league in that category, passing Joe Montana, who was 24 when he did so in 1980.
Stafford and Maye ranked first and fourth, respectively, in passing yards, first and third in touchdowns, and second and first in passer rating.
Mike Vrabel Wins Coach of the Year
While Maye had a disappointing night on Thursday, the same can’t be said for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
The 50-year-old beat out some strong competition from San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan, Chicago’s Ben Johnson, and Seattle’s Mike Macdonald to win the NFL Coach of the Year award.
It’s the second time he’s won the award in his career, also doing so back in 2021 with the Tennessee Titans after leading them to a 12-5 record, a division title, and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Vrabel finished with 302 points and 19 first-place votes. Jacksonville’s Liam Coen finished second with 239 points and 16 first-place votes, while Macdonald finished third (191 points, 8 first-place votes), Johnson finished fourth (145 points, 1 first-place vote), and Shanahan finished fifth (140 points, 6 first-place votes).
“It’s an honor to be recognized amongst the great coaches in our league, especially Kyle, Liam, Ben, and of course, Mike,” Vrabel said while accepting the award. “Ultimately, my name will go on this award, but it belongs to a building, it belongs to a staff, and ultimately, it belongs to the men in the locker room who believed when they couldn’t always see it, and also bought in when it wasn’t easy. … We did this together.”
Patriots Send Clear Message After Drake Maye‘s MVP Snub