Matthew Stafford edges Drake Maye for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Matthew Stafford walked distant with the AP NFL Most Valuable Player grant and a declaration that he's returning to the Los Angeles Rams for different season.

Stafford edged Drake Maye for the MVP grant connected Thursday nighttime successful the closest contention since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were co-winners successful 2003.

Stafford received 24 of 50 first-place votes portion Maye got 23. But Maye has a accidental to spell location this week with a Vince Lombardi Trophy. He leads the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks successful the Super Bowl connected Sunday.

Stafford, who turns 38 connected Saturday, wants different accidental to effort to triumph his 2nd Super Bowl ringing with the Rams.

“Oh yeah, I'll beryllium back. It was specified an astonishing play and I play with specified a large radical of guys and large radical of coaches that I was fortunate capable to decorativeness this play healthy, and I wanna marque definite that I spell retired determination and spot what happens adjacent year," Stafford told the AP.

Stafford brought his 4 daughters — each dressed successful identical black-and-white dresses — to the signifier to judge the award.

He thanked his squad and saved his woman and daughters for last: “You’re unbelievable cheerleaders for me. I admit it. I americium truthful blessed to person you astatine the games connected the sideline with me, and I can’t hold for you to cheer maine connected adjacent twelvemonth erstwhile we’re retired determination kicking (butt).”

It was Stafford’s mode of announcing helium volition beryllium backmost adjacent play aft contemplating retirement.

Myles Garrett was a unanimous prime for the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year grant aft mounting a play grounds for sacks with 23.

All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba bushed retired Christian McCaffrey for the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.

New England’s Mike Vrabel bushed retired Jacksonville’s Liam Coen for the AP NFL Coach of the Year award, becoming the seventh manager to triumph it with 2 antithetic teams.

McCaffrey became the archetypal moving backmost to triumph the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year grant successful 24 years.

Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger was a runaway victor for the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan ran distant with the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Patriots violative coordinator Josh McDaniels won the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year grant successful the archetypal play of his 3rd stint with the team.

A nationwide sheet of 50 media members who regularly screen the league completed voting earlier the playoffs began. Votes were tabulated by the accounting steadfast Lutz and Carr.

Voters selected a apical 5 for the 8 AP NFL awards. First-place votes were worthy 10 points. Second- done fifth-place votes were worthy 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, received 2 first-place MVP votes, and Justin Herbert got the different one.

Stafford, who earned first-team All-Pro honors for the archetypal clip successful his 17-year career, finished with 366 points to Maye’s 361. Allen placed 3rd with 91 points, Christian McCaffrey (71) was 4th and Trevor Lawrence (49) came successful fifth.

It’s McCaffrey’s 2nd top-five decorativeness successful 3 years, much than immoderate different non-quarterback since the weighted constituent strategy was implemented successful 2022.

Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 yards passing and 46 TDs. He threw 8 picks and finished 2nd to Maye with a 109.2 passer rating. Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams mislaid to Seattle successful the NFC title game.

Maye had 4,394 yards passing, 31 TDs and 8 picks. The second-year pro led the league successful passer standing (113.5) and completion percent (72).

Coach of the Year

Vrabel tin get his archetypal Super Bowl rubric arsenic a caput manager Sunday if the Patriots bushed the Seahawks. He received 19 first-place votes to Coen’s 16 and finished with 302 points.

Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year victor with the Titans, led the Patriots from worst to archetypal successful the AFC East, a 10-win turnaround successful his archetypal play successful New England.

Coen had 239 points aft starring the Jacksonville Jaguars to 13 wins and an AFC South rubric successful his archetypal season.

Seattle’s Mike Macdonald got 8 first-place votes and finished 3rd (191). Chicago’s Ben Johnson received 1 first-place ballot and came successful 4th (145). San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan had six first-place votes to spot 5th (140).

Defensive Player of the Year

Garrett received each 50 first-place votes to go the ninth subordinate to triumph DPOY aggregate times and 2nd unanimous prime pursuing J.J. Watt, who did it successful 2014. Cleveland’s borderline rusher besides was a unanimous All-Pro selection. Garrett antecedently won the grant successful 2023.

“It doesn’t conscionable commencement with me,” helium said. “It starts with large teammates, a large organization, large coaches being capable to enactment america successful position. I’m thankful for each azygous 1 of teammates to assistance get maine up here. It’s not imaginable without them.”

Texans borderline rusher Will Anderson Jr. finished 2nd with 77 points, Packers borderline rusher Micah Parsons came successful 3rd (63) followed by Broncos borderline rusher Nik Bonitto (52) and Lions borderline rusher Aidan Hutchinson (42).

Garrett surpassed both Michael Strahan (22.5) and T.J. Watt (22.5) when helium sacked Joe Burrow successful the last crippled of the regular season.

Offensive Player of the Year

Smith-Njigba got 14 first-place votes to McCaffrey’s 12 and finished with 272 points. McCaffrey, who won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, had 223 points.

Smith-Njigba caught 119 passes and led the league with 1,793 yards receiving. He had 10 TDs.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, a unanimous All-Pro similar Smith-Njigba, finished 3rd with 8 first-place votes and 170 points. Falcons All-Pro moving backmost Bijan Robinson was close down him with six first-place votes and 168 points.

Comeback Player of the Year

McCaffrey, San Francisco’s All-Pro do-it-all back, received 31 first-place votes and 395 points, outgaining Aidan Hutchinson. Garrison Hearst was the past moving backmost to triumph it successful 2001.

Hutchinson got 9 first-place votes and 221 points. Dak Prescott came successful 3rd with six first-place votes and 167 points. Lawrence got 2 first-place votes and finished 4th (130). Stefon Diggs came successful 5th (40).

Philip Rivers and Chris Olave each received 1 first-place vote.

McCaffrey played successful conscionable 4 games successful 2024 owed to bilateral Achilles tendinitis followed by a season-ending PCL genu injury. He returned to play each crippled for the 49ers and had 2,126 yards from scrimmage and 17 TDs.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Schwesinger received 40 first-place votes and had 441 points to go the sixth subordinate successful the past 45 seasons to triumph the grant aft not being picked successful the archetypal round. Shaq Leonard (2018) and DeMeco Ryans (2006) were the lone others successful the past 20 seasons. Cleveland selected Schwesinger successful the 2nd circular astatine No. 33 overall.

Versatile Seahawks antiaircraft backmost Nick Emmanwori got 7 first-place votes and finished 2nd (199).

Offensive Rookie of the Year

McMillan earned 41 first-place votes aft catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and 7 TDs.

Saints backmost Tyler Shough got 5 first-place votes and finished 2nd with 168 points, mode down McMillan’s 445.

Assistant Coach of the Year

McDaniels received 17 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 249 points. Broncos antiaircraft coordinator Vance Joseph placed 2nd with 10 first-place votes and 176 points.

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AP Pro Football Writers Josh Dubow and Mark Long contributed.

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