MMQB STAFF: First-half surprises, second-half storylines, new Super Bowl picks | MANZANO: NFC midseason grades | VERDERAME: AFC midseason grades | MANZANO: Best games of the second half
This summer, there was plenty of pearl-clutching over the status of Matthew Stafford.
A back injury sidelined him through training camp. He first put on pads for practice on Aug. 18, nearly a month after the Rams reported. As usual, he didn’t take a snap in a preseason game. And that led to speculation that the injury, at least troublesome enough to warrant caution, was worse than the team was letting on.
Meanwhile, privately, the Rams insisted there was a method to their handling of the 37-year-old franchise quarterback. At Stafford’s age, with his injury mileage, the Rams figured there was no need to push the proverbial envelope. In bringing Jimmy Garoppolo back for another year, they’d given themselves a backup who was capable of providing the starters a good enough look for everyone to get quality work in camp. And at such an advanced stage of his career, rest would probably be more valuable than reps for the 17-year veteran.
The Rams also had an idea it’d be like this after Stafford explored options elsewhere in the offseason and then decided to stay in Los Angeles. And they were fine with it.
It’s fair to say the whole thing’s worked out for everyone.
So, with nine weeks down and nine weeks to go in the 2025 season, Stafford has played well enough to land our midseason MVP award.
Our midseason awards are a little different. Rather than just filling out a ballot on my own (I’ll do that for the AP in January), in midseason every year, in this space, I poll NFL general managers, VPs, directors of player personnel and directors of pro scouting to try to get their take on who should win what.
This year, we wound up with a panel of 42 voters, and a wide-open race for MVP. An eye-opening 10 different players received votes. After the votes were tallied, Stafford was the winner. He finished five votes clear of Josh Allen, and had more than double the votes of every candidate below that.
The production, which we’ll detail in a minute, makes it easy to come to that conclusion.
But for those on the inside, it’s how he continues to raise the bar for everyone around him that makes him such a viable candidate for MVP. Puka Nacua is averaging over 100 yards per game. Davante Adams is on pace for 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. Depth at tight end is being developed, and Kyren Williams, Blake Corumm and a rugged line are giving the team its physical edge. And Stafford, quite simply, is the straw that stirs this drink.
“His value is the endless ability to elevate others and instill a genuine belief that because he is at the switch, we always have a chance,” coach Sean McVay texted late Thursday night when I gave him the MVP vote results. “Plus, his toughness and love for competing are contagious and has become the identity of our team. True coach on the field.”
And one that brings actual value in every sense of the word.
He always has, too. So, finally, this is when it gets recognized.
Let’s dive into the awards.
Most Valuable Player: Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams (13 votes)
Also receiving votes: Bills QB Josh Allen (8), Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (5), Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield (4), Chargers QB Justin Herbert (3), Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (3), Seahawks QB Sam Darnold (2), Colts QB Daniel Jones (2), Patriots QB Drake Maye (1), Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith Njigba (1)
Quietly, Stafford is having an off-the-charts year. He’s on pace for 4,562 yards and a 45–4 TD-INT ratio, and the Rams are tied for first in the NFC West. He has been incredibly efficient (113.2 rating) and consistent (a 98-or-better rating in seven of eight games), while facing a challenging schedule (the Rams faced the Eagles, Colts, 49ers and Ravens in succession) in a rugged division. Now, this can be a storyline award, and Stafford may lack one that’s new or different for voters to latch onto. But if you want a quarterback who runs an offense at an incredibly high level, while rarely missing a throw, Stafford’s your guy.
Offensive Player of the Year: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts (27.5)
Also receiving votes: Smith-Njigba (9), Maye (3), Darnold (1), Bills RB James Cook III (0.5), Jones (0.5), Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (0.5)
MVP has become such a quarterback award that this has almost become the “best nonquarterback on offense” award. Regardless, Taylor’s worthy, for sure, and you can see in the MVP tally that he had plenty of support for that one, too. Supporting his case is his importance within the Colts’ offense, Indy’s record (7–2), and that he’s one of five (!) players in the NFL on pace to crack the 2,000 yards from scrimmage (joining Cook, Robinson, 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey and Smith-Njigba). Taylor’s been held under 100 total yards only four times this year, and Indy is 2–2 in those games, 5–0 otherwise.
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, DE, Browns (30)
Also receiving votes: Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson (4), Giants OLB Brian Burns (3), Broncos DE Nik Bonitto (2), Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. (1), Packers DE Micah Parsons (1), Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II (1)
The most resounding vote is an obvious sign of respect for the mind-bending consistency with which Garrett dominates. He’s at 10 sacks with nine games to go, despite being the focal point of every offense’s game plan, and without much opposite him on the Browns’ front to make opponents pay for overcommitting to him. You can interpret the deciding factor in picking any of these award winners in whatever way you’d like. However, it’d be hard to deny that there are only a few players in the sport as good at their jobs as Garrett.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Buccaneers (26.5)
Also receiving votes: Colts TE Tyler Warren (6), Giants QB Jaxson Dart (5), Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan (2), Patriots OT Will Campbell (1), Chargers TE Oronde Gadsden II (1), Seahawks OG Grey Zabel (1)
Egbuka leads all rookies in receiving yards per game (562 through eight games for an average of 70.3) and is fourth in catches (34). But some nuance makes him the overwhelming pick for this award. First, he’s vital to the Bucs’ success, as the team dealt with injuries to both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans early this year. Second, he’s been clutch, including scoring the game-winner in his NFL debut against Atlanta, then going off a month later in a shootout win in Seattle. He’s versatile, tough and smart, with a very bright future in front of him, all of which, clearly, our voters saw.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger, Browns (15.5)
Also receiving votes: Giants OLB Abdul Carter (11), Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell (6), Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori (2.5), Commanders CB Trey Amos (1), Ravens LB Teddye Buchanan (1), Cowboys DE Donovan Ezeiruaku (1), Steelers DL Derrick Harmon (1), Cardinals CB Will Johnson (1), Buccaneers CB Jacob Parrish (1), Falcons LB Jalon Walker (1)
By the middle of the summer, it was apparent that Schwesinger was going to wear the green dot for Jim Schwartz’s defense, an acknowledgment of just how far ahead he was coming into the league. And he’s only taken steps forward since, emerging as the instinctive, productive tackling machine most figured he would be coming out of UCLA. The Browns have plenty of holes to fill this offseason, but middle linebacker isn’t one.
Coach of the Year: Shane Steichen, Colts (16.5)
Also receiving votes: Mike Vrabel, Patriots (15); Kyle Shanahan, 49ers (3); Todd Bowles, Buccaneers (2); Mike Macdonald, Seahawks (2); Sean McVay, Rams (1.5); Liam Coen, Jaguars (1); Sean Payton, Broncos (1)
This was a coin flip between the top two guys. Both their teams are 7–2. The Colts have taken a giant leap forward after two middling years to start the Steichen era. The Patriots, meanwhile, have exploded since Vrabel’s January hire, feasting on a soft schedule and routing teams that were their peers as recently as the offseason. Obviously, both still have a half season left to burnish their respective cases. Regardless of whether either hits a rut or two in November and December, the future of each of these teams is bright because of the guy in charge.
Executive of the Year: John Schneider, Seahawks (23)
Also receiving votes: Colts GM Chris Ballard (5), Buccaneers GM Jason Licht (5), Eagles GM Howie Roseman (4), Lions GM Brad Holmes (1), Chargers GM Joe Hortiz (1), Broncos GM George Paton (1), Rams GM Les Snead (1), Patriots EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf (1)
Schneider has elicited a ton of respect from his peers over the years, and this is a strong indication of that. That said, he also thoroughly deserves this one. The foundation of this team was built, in part, through the return he received for Russell Wilson. And as guys such as Smith-Njigba, Charles Cross, Devon Witherspoon and Byron Murphy came aboard, Schneider effectively replaced Wilson with Geno Smith, then added Sam Darnold. Every GM who’s been around for as long as Schneider has (16 seasons) has his ups and downs. But it’s fair to say that, of late, the Seahawks’ long-time boss has been on quite the heater.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Execs Vote on Midseason MVP, Coach of the Year, More Awards.
