LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay says he thinks Matthew Stafford is the NFL MVP, and that the quarterback’s play “speaks for itself.”
In the Rams’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Stafford completed 25 of 40 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns. He ended the season with an NFL-best 4,707 passing yards and an NFL-best 46 passing touchdowns.
“Yes, I think Matthew’s the MVP of the league,” McVay said. “He played that way. Wouldn’t want anybody else leading the way. Got a lot of respect for a bunch of people in this league, but there’s nobody I’d rather have being the quarterback of the L.A. Rams than Matthew Stafford. His play speaks for itself.”
Stafford finished the late slate Sunday as the odds-on favorite (-135) to win the award at DraftKings, ahead of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (+105).
Stafford’s 2025 season was the eighth time in NFL history that a quarterback threw for at least 4,500 yards and 45 touchdowns in a season. Six of the previous seven quarterbacks to do so won MVP. The only one who didn’t was Drew Brees in 2011 as Aaron Rodgers also reached those thresholds that season.
When asked whether he thought he made a strong case for MVP on Sunday, Stafford said, “I don’t know if it was today or the whole year. I mean, I’m just trying to do as best I can.”
“I’m trying to play the game the way I know how to play it,” Stafford said. “Felt like I had a nice season. And really just proud of our team. This is an award that is earned by everybody.
“… And I got bigger fish to fry at the moment, so that’s what I’m [going to] be worried about.”
At 37 years, 331 days old, Stafford is the third-oldest player in NFL history to finish as the league’s leader in passing touchdowns. He trails Tom Brady, who did it in 2021 and 2015.
Stafford’s 46 passing touchdowns are the second most in a season by a player age 37 or older in NFL history, trailing Peyton Manning (NFL record 55 in 2013).
Stafford, in his 17th NFL season, has never been named NFL MVP. If he wins the award, he would be the oldest player in NFL history to capture his first MVP. He would also be the third-oldest player to win it.
ESPN Research contributed to this report.
