Myles Garrett should be 2025’s NFL MVP

The Steelers so wanted to deny Garrett breaking the record against them that they sacrificed beating the Browns – and securing the AFC North title – to keep him at 22 for one more week.

Despite this, Garrett got it done. He’s also gotten it done despite playing for a team with no offense.

Cleveland’s 5-12 will be held against him.

But the award isn’t given to the best player on the team with the best record.

It’s given to the best player in the NFL. Garrett is double-, and sometimes, triple-teamed.

Plays are called to get away from the side of the ball he lines up on.

That is only done against the best of the best. And that, in 2025, is Garrett.

It’s a pity Dallas didn’t make a stronger move for him when he became available instead of who they traded for.

Unfortunately, he probably won’t win it as voters love the quarterbacks when it comes to MVP voting.

The last 12 players to win the award have all been quarterbacks. You have to go all the way back to 2012 when Adrian Peterson won it as a running back.

Which means it will either be Stafford or Maye.

Stafford’s Superior Year

Maye has posted a 14-3 record in 2025 against Stafford’s 12-5 mark.

Maye plays for a division-winning team. Stafford’s team had the lead in their division and the No. 1 seed in hand but let it slip away at the end.

But again, the MVP is an individual award.

The only time records should enter into the equation is when doing a deeper dive into the stats.

Maye has played one of the softest schedules in league history this year. It has been so soft, even the McDonald’s ice cream machine didn’t break down when serving it.

Of the 14 teams in the playoffs, the Patriots are the only team below .400 in both strength of schedule and strength of victory.

Maye finished with 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

All solid numbers. But he couldn’t beat the Raiders and lit up the Jets and Dolphins twice each, along with games against the Saints, Bengals, and Falcons.

Not exactly the titans of the NFL in 2025 there.

Stafford put up 4,707 passing yards. He finished with 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

He also faced much tougher defenses this year.

The Rams’ strength of schedule was .528. Their strength of victory was .488.

The Patriots’ numbers were .390 and .371 by comparison.

Let’s take a look at their final games.

Playing for the potential No. 1 seed, Maye threw for 191 yards and a touchdown. Playing for a higher wildcard seeding, Stafford threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

Stafford’s numbers, against stronger opposition, clearly put him ahead of Maye in any MVP conversation outside of New England.

How The Vote Should End

If I had to bet on it, I’d say Stafford will win the MVP this year. But if I had a vote, here’s how the Top 3 would look:

• Myles Garrett
• Matt Stafford
• Drake Maye