After 18 weeks of grinding, the 2025 regular season delivered one of the tightest MVP races in recent memory. Matthew Stafford, quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, and Drake Maye, quarterback for the New England Patriots, stand as the final two contenders. But former Patriots signal caller Brian Hoyer, who knows the weight of expectations in Foxborough, has sensed something unsettling in the air. 

“I’m torn because I think he should,” Hoyer said in an appearance on WEEI 93.7. “Do I think that he will? I don’t know. I think there’s a campaign going around for Stafford. I love Matthew Stafford, class of ‘09, still going strong. And I believe he’s a Hall of Fame quarterback. I don’t think he needs to win MVP this year to be a Hall of Famer, but I feel like there’s a narrative out there that he’s trying to push for that.”

The hesitation in Hoyer’s voice wasn’t doubt about Maye’s credentials; it was concern about the crowds leaning towards Stafford over him. The Rams veteran is all but guaranteed to be a Hall of Famer, but he’s still chasing his first MVP title. He leads the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns on the year and lands second with a 109.2 passer rating. The sunset-career storyline practically writes itself.

Drake Maye was the clear favorite entering Week 18, but Vegas shifted after the regular season finale. Matthew Stafford now sits at -180 odds while Maye has drifted to +140. Making his case is the Patriots’ staggering 14-3 record, a remarkable turnaround from last season’s 4-13 debacle. Maye has posted a better completion percentage than Stafford (72%) and set a league-best 113.5 passer rating. Even then, the momentum has shifted in Stafford’s favor, but Brian Hoyer doesn’t agree.

“When I think of who’s more valuable to their team, to me, it’s got to be Drake Maye,” Hoyer continued. “He was on a team that won four games last year. And I think if you take Drake Maye off the Patriots, I don’t think they have nearly the same result.”

Many analysts make the case that the Patriots have had an easier schedule, whereas the Rams have had a tough season. But Hoyer made a counterargument for this narrative and delivered his final verdict on the MVP race.

Brian Hoyer’s final word for Drake Maye

When confronted with the argument about Maye’s supporting cast, Hoyer quickly dismantled the logic by highlighting the star power on the Rams’ offense. Stafford had Davante Adams (60 catches, 789 yards, 14 TDs) and Puka Nacua (129 receptions, 1,715 yards, 10 TDs) as his most reliable targets. Whereas Maye has tried his best to give everyone a spotlight.

“I think if people are going to throw out the schedule argument, then you have to also say, ‘okay, if Stafford’s in a quote-unquote tougher schedule, he’s also playing with quote-unquote better players. Davante Adams is arguably a Hall of Fame wide receiver. Puka Nacua, I don’t know if anybody would say that there’s a better receiver in the league right now. And I love the receiver group, the tight end group, and the skill group that Drake is playing. It’s really done by committee, and Drake does a phenomenal job of spreading that ball around.”

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As for the schedule, the Patriots indeed faced the league’s 30th-ranked strength of schedule at .429. The Rams have faced a higher mark of .491 in comparison. But Hoyer’s argument sheds light on Stafford’s elite targets and Maye’s team effort. Hoyer also referenced a scouting report suggesting Maye would check halftime stat sheets in high school to ensure every teammate got touches. That selfless quality, combined with the Pats’ turnaround this season, crystallized Hoyer’s vote.

“The reality is Drake Maye is going to have a long career ahead of him,” Hoyer said. “If he doesn’t win it this year, will he win it in the future? I don’t know. No year is never the same. This has been a magical season for him, and he’s very well deserving. I don’t think that the fact that Stafford is towards the end of his career and hasn’t won it yet should be a factor.”

Brian Hoyer’s final verdict? He’d vote for Maye based on the sheer improbability of the Patriots’ resurgence. Whether enough voters share that perspective remains the question haunting New England. The AP NFL Honors ceremony on February 5 will finally settle the debate. Until then, the ominous cloud lingers.