Matthew Stafford Named First-Team All-Pro

The Associated Press released its All-Pro teams recently, and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford made the first team, surpassing New England Patriots QB Drake Maye in the voting.

This recognition could be an indicator that the 37-year-old Stafford might be a strong candidate for his first MVP award. Historically, only three MVP winners have been those not named to the first team in their position. John Elway in 1987 is one such example, where he won MVP despite Joe Montana being named the first-team All-Pro quarterback. There was also the 2003 season when both Peyton Manning and Steve McNair co-won the MVP, with Manning receiving the first-team All-Pro nod.

Interestingly, last season saw Lamar Jackson named first-team All-Pro while Josh Allen took the MVP honors.

Stafford triumphed over Maye by a narrow margin, receiving 13 more votes and achieving first-team All-Pro designation for the first time in his career.

Season Performance

This season, Stafford appeared in all 17 games, completing 65% of his passes for a total of 4,707 yards, along with 46 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Notably, he led the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns.

In comparison, Maye completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and the same number of interceptions as Stafford, but he also rushed for 450 yards and scored four touchdowns himself. He led the league in completion percentage.

Both quarterbacks are set to compete in the playoffs this weekend. Stafford and the Rams are looking to bounce back from a 31-28 defeat to the Carolina Panthers, while the Patriots and Maye will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night.