The 2025 NFL MVP race will be officially decided behind closed doors. But the debate over it outside is far from over.
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With the regular season done and dusted, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and Los Angeles Rams veteran Matthew Stafford have emerged as the two clear frontrunners for the league’s most prestigious individual honor. The winner will be revealed at the NFL Honors ceremony on February 5, 2026, just days before Super Bowl LX.
While everyone in and around football has weighed in on the MVP race, one of the most respected voices in the game seems to have taken his time before giving his opinion on the matter. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has shared his thoughts on the race, and, while he made it clear that both quarterbacks are deserving, he sided with Stafford.
Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Brady began by praising Maye’s rapid ascent in his second NFL season, particularly under New England’s offensive coordinator. “Look, I love Drake Maye and what he’s done in his second year working with Josh McDaniels,” he said.
“[McDaniels] is another tremendous coach and has done such a great job of understanding what Drake’s capable of. Drake’s taken advantage of every opportunity that he’s got,” added Brady.
However, Brady is particular that MVP conversations don’t have to diminish one candidate to elevate another. “I always think in these awards, when you say one thing that’s positive about someone, it means you’re saying something negative about the other. It’s not like that at all. They both had incredible years,” he said.
That said, Brady believes Stafford stood out with his performance this season. “I just see Matt Stafford as a Hall-of-Fame-level quarterback that has played his best season of football,” the GOAT said.
“He’s done it in any conditions — 46 touchdown passes. He’s just been incredible. I love the way he leads his team,” praised Brady.
“There’s no bad choice at this point. But Matt has, in my opinion, really exceeded everyone’s expectations this season,” he added.
Statistically, both quarterbacks put together elite MVP seasons. Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes, guiding the Rams to a 12-5 record and the No. 5 seed in the NFC. Meanwhile, Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns while leading the league in completion percentage (72%) and QBR (77.2). His play powered the Patriots to a 14-3 finish and the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
Stafford and Maye were two of only three quarterbacks this season to surpass 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns while throwing fewer than 10 interceptions. This highlights just how narrow and tight the MVP race truly is.
Despite Maye’s edge in team success, betting markets currently favor Stafford. Sportsbooks list the Rams quarterback as a -195 favorite to win the award. Maye sits at +160. On the prediction market platform Kalshi, Stafford holds a 67 percent probability of winning MVP, compared to 33 percent for Maye.
