Matthew Stafford wins NFL Most Valuable Player award after stellar season

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stafford-matthew/vo7fkASl/"]Stafford[/a], the 37-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-rams/z7hZioyR/"]Los Angeles Rams[/a] signal-caller, received 24 of 50 first-place votes while the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-england-patriots/G6oNfmi8/"]New England Patriots[/a]' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maye-drake/A5SpHBoA/"]Maye[/a] - who will play in Sunday's Super Bowl - received 23.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/buffalo-bills/t2lcn4tk/"]Buffalo Bills[/a] star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/allen-josh/MPG79J5g/"]Josh Allen[/a] placed third, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-francisco-49ers/jBnfYoFr/"]San Francisco 49ers[/a] running back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccaffrey-christian/UwUYi0lS/"]Christian McCaffrey[/a] - the only non-quarterback on the final shortlist - finished fourth.[/p][p]Stafford led the league this season with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, but his Rams just missed out on a Super Bowl appearance with a 31-27 defeat to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/seattle-seahawks/f5h1oOee/"]Seattle Seahawks[/a] in last month's NFC Championship clash.[/p][p]"[b]This team was really special. It didn't end the way we wanted it to, but, man, I'll never forget it[/b]," said Stafford, flanked by his four young daughters.[/p][p]"[b]I'll see you guys next year[/b]," Stafford added.[/p][p]Also at the NFL Honors ceremony in San Francisco hosted by "Mad Men" star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jones-chris/fNnwdZ5k/"]Jon Hamm[/a], the Patriots' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/caliendo-mike/vVP0VffL/"]Mike Vrabel[/a] was named head coach of the year for a second time.[/p][embed guid="2613a925-902c-484c-949f-81e47b143fca" url="https://x.com/NFL/status/2019618580451545243?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]In his debut season as New England coach, former Patriots player Vrabel took a franchise that had won just four games in each of its two previous seasons all the way to this Sunday's Super Bowl.[/p][p]Vrabel was previously the 2021 award winner with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tennessee-titans/nmgM9o38/"]Tennessee Titans[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-njigba-jaxon/txwNaLzE/"]Jaxon Smith-Njigba[/a], the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver who will take on Vrabel's Patriots at Super Bowl LX, won offensive player of the year.[/p][p]His league-high 1,793 receiving yards was the eighth-most in NFL history.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-browns/KfzTWqa1/"]Cleveland Browns[/a] star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garrett-myles/Uotj0KLS/"]Myles Garrett[/a] was named the defensive player of the year after setting the NFL record for sacks in a single season, with 23.[/p][p]NFL legends including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brees-drew/0G5icny8/"]Drew Brees[/a] were named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[/p][p]But, as had already been widely leaked, six-time Super Bowl-winning former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick failed to be elected to the Hall in his first appearance on the ballot.[/p][p]Belichick, 73, is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the NFL.[/p][p]But his career was also tinged with controversy, notably the 2007 "Spygate" scandal, when he was fined a record $500,000 after the Patriots were caught illegally filming signals by opposing coaches during games.[/p]