Matthew Stafford becomes third Georgia Bulldog to win NFL MVP
It was a big night for former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford.
He took home the NFL MVP award on Thursday, narrowly edging out New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The final margin was the closest for an NFL MVP award since 2003. Stafford won by a margin of 366 to 361, with Stafford getting 24 first-place votes and Maye receiving 23.
Stafford threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns this past season, leading the league in both categories. The 46 touchdown passes set a new career high for Stafford.
The Los Angeles Rams went 12-5 this past season, losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game.
Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, let it be known in his acceptance speech that he would be returning for another season. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft began the season dealing with back issues and played through a finger injury down the stretch.
Stafford, alongside his four young daughters on stage with him, said: “I’ll see you guys next year. Hopefully, I’m not at this event and we’re getting ready for another game at SoFi.”
Georgia has now produced three NFL MVPs, as Stafford joins Terrell Davis and Fran Tarkenton. Davis won the award for the Denver Broncos in 1998, while Tarkenton took home the award in 1975 with the Minnesota Vikings. Davis and Tarkenton are both Pro Football Hall of Famers.
Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl in 2021, which sharpened his resume for a potential Hall of Fame induction when he finally does retire.
About the Author
Connor Riley has been covering the University of Georgia since 2014 before moving to DawgNation full-time before the 2018 season. He helps in all areas of the site such as team coverage, recruiting, video production, social media and podcasting. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016.
