The voters who ultimately influenced the NFL MVP award have emerged, and their decisions have stirred quite a reaction.
Sam Monson, formerly of Pro Football Focus, explained on X his choice to vote solely for Justin Herbert after Matthew Stafford of the Rams narrowly beat the Patriots’ Drake Maye in a highly competitive MVP race.
Stafford clinched his first MVP award with 366 points, just edging out Maye, who secured 361 points. Many felt Monson’s first-place vote for Herbert, which carries a weight of 10 points, was wasted.
“That guy had one of the worst offensive lines in the league all season, and yet he pulled off remarkable performances in nearly every game,” Monson stated in a post defending Herbert amidst backlash from fans and commentators. “Stafford’s offensive line quickly became far less problematic, turning into a turnover machine. He truly exemplified ‘value.'”
2025 NFL QB Statistics
| Player | Passing Yards | Passing Touchdowns | Interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | 3,727 | 26 | 13 |
| Drake Maye | 4,394 | 31 | 8 |
| Justin Herbert | 4,707 | 46 | 8 |
| Josh Allen | 3,668 | 25 | 10 |
Since then, Monson has faced significant criticism from fans who think he detracted from Maye’s MVP chances.
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and a fan of the New England Patriots, responded to Monson’s explanation in a quote tweet, saying, “Imagine thinking you outsmarted everyone else who follows football.”
“Maye just won MVP. Thankfully, we’re at Lombardi’s in New England.”
Monson shared these thoughts on his podcast, revealing he voted for Stafford in second place and ranked Maye third.
Additionally, two anonymous voters awarded their first-place votes to Josh Allen.
Herbert lost his top two offensive linemen, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, to injuries during the season, which Monson cited as a factor in his decision to support Herbert.
“He managed to produce despite facing significantly tough situations and didn’t quite make the leap everyone anticipated this season,” Monson remarked.
Maye will be attending the Super Bowl this weekend, while Stafford announced in his acceptance speech that he plans to return for the 2026 season.
