Matthew Stafford earns PFWA MVP honor after guiding the Rams through a steady season and late playoff push

Momentum in the NFL has a short shelf life. One bad stretch can cool even the hottest start, and one strong finish can flip everything back in your favor. That reality played out clearly for Matthew Stafford this season. What began as a year filled with MVP talk briefly drifted into uncertainty before circling back with force.
Midway through the season, the noise changed. The Rams hit a lull, Stafford’s name faded from betting boards, and the league’s focus shifted elsewhere. But inside the Los Angeles Rams, there was no panic. Stafford stayed composed, leaned on experience and guided a late-season push that reminded everyone why he has lasted this long at the top level.

How Matthew Stafford’s finish turned the MVP conversation back in his favor

By the end of the regular season, Stafford’s numbers told a clear story. He threw for 4,707 yards, accounted for 46 touchdowns, and limited mistakes with just eight interceptions. That production, paired with the Rams’ surge, caught the attention of the Pro Football Writers of America.

On January 21, the group made its call public. “PFWA has named Matthew Stafford their 2025 MVP!...” the Los Angeles Rams wrote on X.

The recognition carries weight because of history. The PFWA MVP has closely matched the Associated Press MVP over decades. Since 1975, the two awards have differed only eight times, and just once since 2003. Last season’s split between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen remains the rare outlier.

That backdrop matters with the AP MVP scheduled to be announced on February 5 during the 2026 NFL Honors. Adding to Stafford’s case, Jonathan Jones noted that AP voters also selected him as a First Team All Pro, often a strong indicator of MVP alignment.

Stafford’s postseason play has only strengthened the argument. He delivered the Rams their first playoff win in below-freezing temperatures since at least 2000 and now holds a 7-2 postseason record with the franchise. According to Fox Sports, he is 4-1 in Divisional Round games or later. There is also the broader body of work. ESPN tracking shows Stafford with 55 career game-winning drives, more than any quarterback since he entered the league in 2009. Those moments, built over years, continue to define his career.

Since arriving from Detroit in 2021, Stafford has helped guide the Rams to a Super Bowl run and now their strongest season since. He has repeatedly credited head coach Sean McVay for creating stability and trust during that stretch.

The awards are still rolling out, but the direction feels clear. Stafford did not just revive his MVP case late. He made it impossible to ignore.

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