NFL 2025: AP MVP Voting Favorite

The NFL and The Associated Press have announced the finalists for their annual accolades for the 2025 NFL season.

Award winners will be announced at NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, an Align Technology brand, on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. NFL Honors, the league’s primetime awards special, will air at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on NBC and NFL Network, with streaming available on Peacock and NFL+.

The full list of annual awards include AP Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Defensive and Offensive Rookies of the Year, and Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year.

Below is my best pick for the MVP award.

MVP Pick

Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) Stafford is the clear favorite at around -135 to -190 across books, with a strong edge over Drake Maye. He delivered elite volume (4,500+ yards, high TDs) while carrying a banged-up Rams offense to a division title and playoff berth, earning First-Team All-Pro honors. Voters love the veteran resurgence story after injury setbacks, and his clutch play in a high-leverage role seals it—classic AP bias toward proven QBs who elevate flawed teams over flashy rookies, even if Maye had the better record.

Nominees

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams

NFL Honors, hosted by Jon Hamm, will also feature the announcement of the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide, the newest Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Announcement presented by Novartis and the new Protector of the Year Award to honor the league’s best offensive lineman in 2025.

As the Official Timepiece Partner of the NFL, Breitling will unveil custom NFL Honors watches for the eight AP Award recipients, as well as the Protector of the Year and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide, with a special timepiece created exclusively for the MVP presented by Invisalign. Crafted for moments that define careers and designed to carry legacy forward, each watch stands as a lasting mark of achievement.

NFL Honors is an NFL Network production in association with Rock Garden Media. For more information about NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, fans may visit www.nfl.com/honors and follow the #NFLHonors conversation on X. 

NBC, Peacock, Telemundo and Universo will present Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.