Matthew

Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford confirmed he will keep playing for at least one more season after being named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the first time.

The Los Angeles Rams star was the slight favourite for the award and beat New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye by one first-place vote.

The 37-year-old became the oldest quarterback to win the MVP for the first time and it is the 13th straight win by a QB.

Stafford had been rumoured to be considering retirement and while on stage with his four daughters in San Francisco, said: “I’ll see you guys next year.”

“It’s something I’d been thinking about, whether I wanted to keep playing or not,” he added.

“I ended the season on a healthy note, had a bunch of team-mates in the crowd and my daughters with me, so it felt like the right thing to do in the moment. I’m happy to be coming back.”

Stafford was unable to register a play-off win in 12 years with the Detroit Lions, but after being traded to the Rams in 2021, he won the Super Bowl in his first season and has now been named MVP.

The former first overall draft pick is just the second quarterback after Tom Brady (2007) to lead the NFL in touchdown passes, passing yards and touchdown-interception ratio over the past 50 seasons.

He led the Rams to the NFC Championship game but the Seattle Seahawks won to book their spot in Sunday’s Super Bowl, where they will face the Patriots in Santa Clara.

Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named Offensive Player of the Year at the NFL’s end-of-season awards night after leading the league for receiving yards.

New England’s Mike Vrabel won Coach of the Year having led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season as their head coach.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in three years after claiming the single-season sack record.

SAN FRANCISCO — Matthew Stafford’s name is already all over the NFL record book.

Add another milestone to the Rams quarterback’s achievements.

On Thursday night, Stafford was announced as the NFL most valuable player during NFL Honors at the Palace of Fine Arts.

The 17-year veteran finished ahead of New England quarterback Drake Maye in balloting by a panel of 50 journalists who regularly cover the NFL. The panel is assembled by the Associated Press. Los Angeles Times reporters do not participate in voting for awards.

During his acceptance speech, Stafford thanks his wife, Kelly, and daughters along with teammates, who he pointed at some in the audience and said he looked forward to playing with them again next season.

Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, passed for a league-best 46 touchdowns and 4,707 yards.

Stafford led the Rams to a 12-5 record and directed an offense that led the league in scoring and yards per game. He was voted first-team All-Pro.

“He’s the epitome of an igniter,” Rams coach Sean McVay said this week. “He’s just this incredibly humble superstar that has the ability to make everybody feel better when you’re around him. … I know I’m biased, but I can remove my bias and say I think he was the best player in the NFL this year.”

Stafford also engineered late winning drives in playoff victories over the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears before the Rams suffered a 31-27 defeat by the Seahawks in the NFC championship.

Stafford, the top pick in the 2009 draft, played 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions before he was traded to the Rams in 2021 for Jared Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round pick.

In his first season with the Rams, Stafford led them to victory in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

Stafford ranks sixth all-time in completions (5,562), yards passing (64,516) and is seventh in touchdown passes (423).

Maye, 23, is a second-year pro who will play against the Seahawks on Sunday in Super Bowl LX. Maye led the Patriots to a 14-3 record — including an 8-0 road mark — and completed a league-leading and franchise record 72% of his passes. He passed for 31 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, and also rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns.