During Thursday’s 2026 NFL Honors ceremony, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was named this season’s Most Valuable Player. But how does the NFL actually determine the MVP?
How Does the NFL MVP Voting Process Actually Work in Close Races?
The NFL MVP is decided by a small group that fits inside one hotel ballroom. Fifty media members, selected by the Associated Press and described as a “nationwide panel of media,” hold the entire vote. This isn’t just a writer’s club either.
Analysts and former players, such as Cris Collinsworth, Troy Aikman, and Tony Dungy, have all been voters, which matters when context and nuance enter the discussion.
Since the 2022 season, voters have not submitted a single name. Instead, each voter ranks five players. The system rewards depth of support, not just top-end backing. A first-place vote carries 10 points, a second-place vote earns five, a third-place vote earns three, a fourth-place vote earns two, and a fifth-place vote earns one. Totals are added up. Highest score wins.
That change closed a loophole that had haunted tight races. When voters could select only one player, evenly split ballots created ties and ignored how close the second or third-place options actually were. Now, those margins matter.
During this year’s vote, Stafford received 366 voting points with 24 first-place votes, while Drake Maye earned 361 points with 23 first-place votes.
Looking at Stafford’s season, he completely deserved the award. Per PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, in the 2025/26 season, Stafford was 1st in passing yards (4707), 1st in passing touchdowns (46), third in passes completed (388), and 4th in net yards per attempt (7.60). Stafford was an excellent passer all year, elevating the Rams’ offense to another level (as they ranked first in PFSN’s Offensive Impact Metric).
In the end, the MVP race came down to one vote, and if that vote had gone to Maye, we would have had another co-winner situation, just like in 2003. Instead, that vote went to Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert, who was not even a part of the final five players for MVP.
Historically, the award has tilted heavily toward quarterbacks, with 51 of the 55 offensive MVPs going to the position.
This isn’t just a stat race. Voters always balance the strength of the schedule, the supporting casts, and how quarterbacks respond under pressure throughout the year.
The votes are always submitted at the end of the regular season, so each player’s postseason performance isn’t factored in.
