Matthew Stafford won NFL MVP over Drake Maye by the slimmest margin

[ASFN Admin]

After Matthew Stafford was named the first-team All-Pro quarterback and PFWA’s MVP, he appeared to be a virtual lock for the AP’s Most Valuable Player award. And on Thursday night, he was declared the winner of that coveted honor.

However, he beat out Drake Maye by the absolute slimmest margin. According to Rob Maadi of the Associated Press, Stafford received 366 points and 24 first-place votes. Maye was right behind him with 361 points and 23 first-place votes.

So of the 50 voters, 24 picked Stafford as their top selection and 23 picked Maye. Josh Allen and Justin Herbert were the only other players to receive first-place votes. Here’s a full breakdown of the voting.

AP NFL MVP
1. Matthew Stafford 366 points, 24 first-place votes
2. Drake Maye 361, 23
3. Josh Allen 91, 2
4. Christian McCaffrey 71, 0
5. Trevor Lawrence 49, 0
Justin Herbert got the other first-place vote.

— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 6, 2026

Stafford led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, while Maye was tops in passer rating, QBR and completion percentage.

They were both deserving of the MVP award, but voters barely gave Stafford the edge for his remarkable season in Year 17 as a pro.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL MVP voting: Matthew Stafford beat Drake Maye by slimmest margin

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