The NFL MVP award is usually a difficult choice, and this year’s race is no exception.
The MVP award appears to be down to either New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye or Los Angeles Rams veteran Matthew Stafford.
On Thursday, seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP winner Tom Brady made his pick for the award, and he went with Stafford.
🏆 @TomBrady explains why Matthew Stafford is his pick for MVP this season on @TheHerd pic.twitter.com/N2VyuTR2XO
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 8, 2026
Both signal-callers have had incredible seasons. Maye and the Patriots are the No. 2 seed in the AFC and face off against the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Chargers.
Stafford’s Rams are the No. 5 seed in the NFC and take on the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round.
When you examine the two QBs’ stats side by side, it is a toss-up for the NFL MVP winner.
- Drake Maye: 4.394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, 8 INT, 77.2 QBR
- Matthew Stafford: 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, 8 INT, 71.0 QBR
Stafford leads the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns and yards per game (276.9), while Maye is in the top-5 in many categories in just his second season in the NFL.
However, Maye has done all of that with zero Pro Bowl players on offense, and if he wins the MVP, it would be the first time that has happened.
Drake Maye can do what no QB has ever done
— Doug Clawson (@doug_clawson) January 5, 2026
He can be the 1st QB all-time to win NFL MVP in a season with 0 Pro Bowl teammates on offense
There's been 49 instances of a QB winning MVP ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nOk5jYghPh
Last year, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen beat out Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for the award, and this year’s race could come down to two signal-callers as well, although San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey should garner some votes.
The NFL MVP award will be announced in the week leading up to the Super Bowl during the “NFL Honors” show on Feb. 5.
