Matthew Stafford kicked off his 2025 regular season with uncertainty surrounding his ability to play due to a back issue that arose during the transition from offseason workouts to training camp. Despite the challenges, he has concluded the season with remarkable success, earning his first-ever first-team All-Pro honor.
Traditionally, the quarterback receiving the first-team All-Pro designation also takes home the MVP award. However, this trend was disrupted last year when Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson secured the all-important All-Pro title while Bills quarterback Josh Allen claimed the MVP accolades. Such occurrences are rare; the last time this happened was in 1987 with Joe Montana and John Elway’s respective honors.
As Stafford received 31 first-place votes compared to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s 18, it appears he is in a strong position to be named the league’s MVP this season. Historical patterns lean toward a Stafford win, though it’s not uncommon for surprises to arise.
While individual honors are prestigious, the ultimate goal for any football player is to achieve team glory. The coveted titles of Super Bowl champion and, ideally, Super Bowl MVP are the pinnacle of success. Since 1999, the feat of winning both regular-season MVP and Super Bowl MVP has only been accomplished twice, with Kurt Warner leading the way. Recently, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes broke a longstanding drought, reinforcing the notion of how elusive these double honors can be.
As Stafford presses toward potential recognition, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if he can secure the MVP title and lead his team to Super Bowl success.