Former Georgia star quarterback Matthew Stafford will be 38 years old on Feb. 7, which is the day before the Super Bowl. Stafford, who already led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl title in 2021, could be playing in the NFL’s biggest game again, and he also could be hoisting the NFL’s most prestigious individual trophy.
On Thursday morning, Stafford was named 1 of 5 finalists for the NFL MVP award after another monster season in leading the Rams back to the NFL playoffs. Stafford has yet to win MVP despite an illustrious career, so finally checking that box would complete his NFL portfolio and doing it in his late 30s would add to the achievement.
Stafford, who starred at Georgia from 2006-08, will have plenty of competition though. The other 4 finalists for MVP include New England Patriots quarterback and former North Carolina standout Drake Maye, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was a star at Clemson.
The Rams’ social media account paid tribute to Stafford’s MVP nomination on Thursday with a post that included the headline: “A legendary season from a legendary QB.”
Stafford will know whether or not he finally snagged that first MVP award on Feb. 5 during Super Bowl week. He also hopes his Rams will be with him that week in the San Francisco area, with Stafford quarterbacking Los Angeles in this Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks.
If the Rams can win in Seattle, Stafford won’t just be up for the MVP award during Super Bowl week, his team will be participating in Super Bowl 60 with a shot at the franchise’s 2nd title in 5 years.
Stafford made the Pro Bowl this season for the 3rd time in his career and was a first-team All-Pro selection, but he’s still looking for that first MVP award. He put forth a supreme effort in his attempt to finally get it, throwing for 4,707 yards during the regular season with 46 touchdown passes and just 8 interceptions.
He was a first-team All-American at Georgia way back in 2008, and now almost 2 decades later Stafford is still going strong into his late 30s, looking for that first MVP award and another Super Bowl title.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
