Cam Newton thinks 2025 NFL MVP plays for last-place team with losing record

It's widely believed that either Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford or Drake Maye of the New England Patriots will ultimately be named the Most Valuable Player for the 2025 regular season later this winter. 

On Monday's edition of ESPN's "First Take" program, former NFL quarterback and one-time MVP Cam Newton campaigned for voters to consider choosing Cleveland Browns star pass-rusher Myles Garrett to win the award. 

Cam Newton compares Myles Garrett to Lawrence Taylor

"Who does Myles Garrett remind us of? (New York Giants legend) Lawrence Taylor," Newton said during the segment. "(Taylor) won the MVP in 1986 with 20.5 sacks." 

Garrett currently leads the league with 22 sacks on the season and could end Week 18 holding new official (22.5) and unofficial (23) single-season sack records. That said, the Browns are 4-12 and will finish the campaign in the basement of the AFC North standings. 

To compare, the Rams will head into their "Monday Night Football" game against the Atlanta Falcons at 11-4. Meanwhile, the 13-3 Patriots could earn the AFC's No. 1 seed for the playoffs this coming Sunday. 

Garrett may be a lock to claim his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, but it would be downright shocking if he received a single first-place MVP vote. As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Stafford as the betting favorite at -230 odds to win MVP. Maye was second on the list at +180 odds. 

Why Cam Newton thinks Myles Garrett is more "valuable" than Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye

After the Browns earned a 13-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Garrett said he felt the Steelers were more concerned about keeping him from breaking at least the official single-season sack record "than getting the win." Newton seemed to reference that take on Monday.

"You don't see people game-planning Drake Maye, respectfully, not even Matthew Stafford as much as they game-plan against Myles Garrett," Newton added. "...If we're talking about most VALUABLE player, (Garrett) has shown that he is the most VALUABLE player." 

Unsurprisingly, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Dan Orlovsky essentially scoffed at Newton during the segment. If nothing else, Newton gave football fans something to talk about on the Monday between Christmas and New Year's Day.