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This year marks the 56th anniversary of the 101 Awards. During the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” show on Tuesday, the network revealed the names of all the recipients this season. The two quarterbacks, who have been racing for the NFL MVP award, were on the list.

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According to the Committee of 101 Awards, the New England Patriots’ Drake Maye and the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford have won the AFC Offensive Player of the Year and the NFC Offensive Player of the Year, respectively.

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Last year, it was quarterback Lamar Jackson and wide receiver Saquon Barkley who won the AFC and the NFC OPOY. But this time, it is an all-quarterback show.

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Drake Maye winning the award does not come as a surprise, though.

The selection committee consists of 101 broadcasters and sportswriters who voted Maye as the AFC OPOY based on the regular season. He has been phenomenal for the Patriots.

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He started all 17 games this season, recording 4,394 passing yards with 354 completions on 492 attempts and 31 touchdowns. Although in his second year, Maye led the league with 113.5 overall QBR and a 72% pass completion rate. As a rushing quarterback, he also scored four touchdowns, totaling 450 yards for 4.4 yards per carry.

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On top of everything, the quarterback’s performance helped the franchise register its first 14 wins in a season since 2016 and topped the NFC East for the first time since 2019. Maye, in addition to the 101 Award, also earned AP Second Team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. Now, he is headed to San Francisco for his first-ever Super Bowl.

While Maye lit up the AFC, Matthew Stafford did the same thing in the NFC.

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Matthew Stafford wins his first 101 Award

The 37-year-old Matthew Stafford is the recipient of the NFC OPOY, based on the 101 Award announcement. Similar to Maye, he, too, has been one of the highlights of the 2025 season.

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Stafford entered his 17th season and did wonders, winning 12 games for the Rams. Thanks to it, the Rams earned the 5th seed in the NFC.

With 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns, he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. These numbers redefined his career-high stats, making it one of the most productive seasons of his career. He also posted a 109.2 overall passer rating, a career high. Stafford completed 388 of 597 passes, boasting an almost 65% completion rate.

Following the regular season, the three-time Pro Bowler climbed up to the sixth position in all-time career passing yards (64,516) and seventh in all-time career passing touchdowns (2025).

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Being a veteran in the NFL, Stafford never earned a place in the AP All-Pro. However, the Super Bowl winner is no longer in that position, as he earned AP First Team All-Pro honors in 2025.

Besides the two quarterbacks, Myles Garrett (AFC Defensive Player of the Year), Micah Parsons (NFC Defensive Player of the Year), Mike Vrabel (AFC Coach of the Year), and Mike Macdonald (NFC Coach of the Year) are also the recipients of the award.

Surprisingly, it is the first 101 Award for both Maye and Stafford. While the latter lost to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game, the former has a chance to equal Stafford’s Super Bowl wins. After winning such a prestigious award, Maye will hope to win the ultimate prize, while Stafford will start preparing for the upcoming season.

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Written by

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Priyanko Chakraborty

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Priyanko Chakraborty is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports, known for delivering trend-driven, data-rich stories that tap directly into what fans are thinking in the moment. With four years of experience across sports and entertainment writing, he blends meticulous research with a strong sense of narrative flow, turning complex on-field action into compelling, accessible analysis. A lifelong football fan, Priyanko has followed the league with passion and precision for years. Jayden Reed’s two-touchdown performance against the Eagles in 2024 remains one of his favorite modern NFL moments. At EssentiallySports, Priyanko specializes in transforming stats into stories and game moments into meaningful insights.

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Edited by

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Ahana Chatterjee

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