Matthew Stafford edges Drake Maye
for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award
[February 06, 2026]
By ROB MAADDI
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Matthew Stafford walked away with the AP NFL
Most Valuable Player award and a declaration that he's returning to
the Los Angeles Rams for another season.
Stafford edged Drake Maye for the MVP award on Thursday night in the
closest race since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were co-winners
in 2003.
Stafford received 24 of 50 first-place votes while Maye got 23. But
Maye has a chance to go home this week with a Vince Lombardi Trophy.
He leads the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks in
the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, wants another opportunity to try
to win his second Super Bowl ring with the Rams.
“Oh yeah, I'll be back. It was such an amazing season and I play
with such a great group of guys and great group of coaches that I
was lucky enough to finish this season healthy, and I wanna make
sure that I go out there and see what happens next year," Stafford
told the AP.
Stafford brought his four daughters — all dressed in identical
black-and-white dresses — to the stage to accept the award.
He thanked his team and saved his wife and daughters for last:
“You’re unbelievable cheerleaders for me. 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
(butt).”
It was Stafford’s way of announcing he will be back next season
after contemplating retirement.
Myles Garrett was a unanimous choice for the AP NFL Defensive Player
of the Year award after setting a season record for sacks with 23.
All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba beat out Christian
McCaffrey for the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.
New England’s Mike Vrabel beat out Jacksonville’s Liam Coen for the
AP NFL Coach of the Year award, becoming the seventh coach to win it
with two different teams.
McCaffrey became the first running back to win the AP NFL Comeback
Player of the Year award in 24 years.
Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger was a runaway winner for the AP
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan ran away with the AP NFL
Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels won the AP NFL
Assistant Coach of the Year award in the first season of his third
stint with the team.
A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the
league completed voting before the playoffs began. Votes were
tabulated by the accounting firm Lutz and Carr.
Voters selected a top 5 for the eight AP NFL awards. First-place
votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were
worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, received two first-place MVP votes,
and Justin Herbert got the other one.
Stafford, who earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in
his 17-year career, finished with 366 points to Maye’s 361. Allen
placed third with 91 points, Christian McCaffrey (71) was fourth and
Trevor Lawrence (49) came in fifth.
It’s McCaffrey’s second top-five finish in three years, more than
any other non-quarterback since the weighted point system was
implemented in 2022.
Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 yards passing and 46 TDs. He threw
eight picks and finished second to Maye with a 109.2 passer rating.
Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams lost to Seattle in the NFC
championship game.
Maye had 4,394 yards passing, 31 TDs and eight picks. The
second-year pro led the league in passer rating (113.5) and
completion percentage (72).
Coach of the Year
Vrabel can get his first Super Bowl title as a head coach Sunday if
the Patriots beat the Seahawks. He received 19 first-place votes to
Coen’s 16 and finished with 302 points.
Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year winner with the Titans, led the
Patriots from worst to first in the AFC East, a 10-win turnaround in
his first season in New England.
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Los Angeles, Rams' Matthew Stafford accepts the AP Most Valuable
Player awardduring the NFL Honors award show, Thursday, Feb. 5,
2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Coen had 239 points after leading the Jacksonville
Jaguars to 13 wins and an AFC South title in his first season.
Seattle’s Mike Macdonald got eight first-place votes and finished
third (191). Chicago’s Ben Johnson received one first-place vote and
came in fourth (145). San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan had six
first-place votes to place fifth (140).
Defensive Player of the Year
Garrett received all 50 first-place votes to become the ninth player
to win DPOY multiple times and second unanimous choice following J.J.
Watt, who did it in 2014. Cleveland’s edge rusher also was a
unanimous All-Pro selection. Garrett previously won the award in
2023.
“It doesn’t just start with me,” he said. “It starts with great
teammates, a great organization, great coaches being able to put us
in position. I’m thankful for every single one of teammates to help
get me up here. It’s not possible without them.”
Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. finished second with 77 points,
Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons came in third (63) followed by
Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto (52) and Lions edge rusher Aidan
Hutchinson (42).
Garrett surpassed both Michael Strahan (22.5) and T.J. Watt (22.5)
when he sacked Joe Burrow in the final game of the regular season.
Offensive Player of the Year
Smith-Njigba got 14 first-place votes to McCaffrey’s 12 and finished
with 272 points. McCaffrey, who won the AP NFL Comeback Player of
the Year award, had 223 points.
Smith-Njigba caught 119 passes and led the league with 1,793 yards
receiving. He had 10 TDs.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, a unanimous All-Pro like Smith-Njigba,
finished third with eight first-place votes and 170 points. Falcons
All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson was right behind him with six
first-place votes and 168 points.
Comeback Player of the Year
McCaffrey, San Francisco’s All-Pro do-it-all back, received 31
first-place votes and 395 points, outgaining Aidan Hutchinson.
Garrison Hearst was the last running back to win it in 2001.
Hutchinson got nine first-place votes and 221 points. Dak Prescott
came in third with six first-place votes and 167 points. Lawrence
got two first-place votes and finished fourth (130). Stefon Diggs
came in fifth (40).
Philip Rivers and Chris Olave each received one first-place vote.
McCaffrey played in just four games in 2024 due to bilateral
Achilles tendinitis followed by a season-ending PCL knee injury. He
returned to play every game for the 49ers and had 2,126 yards from
scrimmage and 17 TDs.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Schwesinger received 40 first-place votes and had 441 points to
become the sixth player in the last 45 seasons to win the award
after not being picked in the first round. Shaq Leonard (2018) and
DeMeco Ryans (2006) were the only others in the last 20 seasons.
Cleveland selected Schwesinger in the second round at No. 33
overall.
Versatile Seahawks defensive back Nick Emmanwori got seven
first-place votes and finished second (199).
Offensive Rookie of the Year
McMillan earned 41 first-place votes after catching 70 passes for
1,014 yards and seven TDs.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough got five first-place votes and
finished second with 168 points, way behind McMillan’s 445.
Assistant Coach of the Year
McDaniels received 17 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 249
points. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph placed second
with 10 first-place votes and 176 points.
___
AP Pro Football Writers Josh Dubow and Mark Long contributed.
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