How Close Rams' Matthew Stafford is to Winning MVP

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams have a quarterback in Matthew Stafford who is playing some of the best ball of his career. His numbers are league-leading and with two weeks left in the season, a recent report from NFL Insider Tom Pelissero illustrates how close Stafford is to his first MVP award.

Pelissero's Report

According to Pelissero, he surveyed 30 NFL executives, including 21 NFL general managers in a mock vote for the league's annual awards. They stated via their votes that Stafford won the MVP by a landslide.

"Stafford outdistanced the field with 18 votes as he closes out perhaps the best season of his illustrious career," wrote Pelissero. "At age 37, Stafford leads the NFL in passing yards (4,179), touchdown passes (40) and passer rating (112.1) for the 11-4 Rams. He has thrown just five interceptions -- the type of ratio that helped Aaron Rodgers win four MVPs in Green Bay."

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"Stafford’s passer rating of 132.0 on deep throws (20-plus air yards) and 127.9 against the blitz are both best in the NFL. And he’s gotten even hotter down the stretch, throwing at least two passing touchdowns in nine straight games -- a Rams record and the longest such streak in his career.

"Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was the runner-up with five votes. Still just 23 years old and in his second NFL season, Maye leads the NFL with a 70.9% completion percentage -- topping Tom Brady’s franchise-record 68.9% in 2007 -- and would be the youngest player ever to the lead the NFL in that category. (Joe Montana was 24 when he completed 64.5% of his passes in 1980.) Along with the arrival of head coach Mike Vrabel, Maye’s growth is a big reason the Patriots have made the biggest jump in total wins from last season (4-13 in 2024 to 12-3 with two games to go this season)."

Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the reigning AP NFL MVP, got four votes. Browns defensive end Myles Garrett got two. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert received one.

My Takeaways

It appears that Pelliserro and the league are echoing the same sentiments that I've been saying. Stafford has been historically efficient this season, putting points on the board, while limiting turnovers.

He has also put forth several MVP moments, most notably the fact that the Rams are undefeated when allowing 25 or fewer points, and only have one loss when allowing less than 30 points. That essentially means that in order to beat the Rams, opponents have had to score at least four touchdowns per game.

With that, the question once again becomes about what factor could another quarterback put forth becuase the MVP is a quarterback award, that could trump Stafford's efforts, efforts that have earned MVP honors every single time it was replicated? It appears that the league agrees and thus, the Rams are on the verge of their seventh ever MVP winner and first since Kurt Warner in 2001.

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