This year’s MVP race came down to two players: Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye. Stafford edged out the second-year Patriots quarterback by one first-place vote, and though they both put up great numbers in 2025, Stafford’s veteran savvy on the field made a big difference for Los Angeles.
Just ask Julian Love, the Seahawks safety who picked off Maye in the Super Bowl on Sunday night. He was mic’d up and during the game, he gave Stafford a shoutout while simultaneously critiquing Maye.
“Classic young quarterback,” Love said as he was talking to a teammate on the sideline. “As soon as that back foot hits, he’s going to where he wants, but he’s pausing for a second to confirm that he’s open. He’s not as blindly doing it like Stafford. There’s a little hitch there. Be sure to jump that.”
Love made those comments after dropping an easy interception over the middle, but he wouldn’t miss his next opportunity. Later in the game, he picked off Maye on a similar pass downfield, hauling it in to thwart any slim chance of a Patriots comeback.
The difference between Stafford and a lot of young quarterbacks is he manipulates defenses better than just about anyone. He doesn’t use no-look passes for style points. There’s legitimate benefits to them, holding safeties and linebackers in order to open up bigger throwing lanes over the middle.
Maye, as Love pointed out, stared down his receivers a lot, which allowed the Seahawks’ DBs to jump routes and make plays on the ball.
It’s a subtle difference that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, but it’s evidence of why Stafford was the right choice for MVP.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Mic’d-up Seahawks DB says what separates Stafford and Maye during Super Bowl
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
