49ers' Christian McCaffrey, 4 QBs finalists for MVP award

Field Level Media|published: Thu 22nd January, 10:47 2026

NFL: NFC Divisional Round-San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs after the catch against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen, fellow quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford, and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey are the finalists for The Associated Press 2025 MVP award.

They were announced Thursday, as were the finalists for seven other season-ending AP awards that will be handed out Feb. 5 in San Francisco at the annual NFL Honors ceremony. That night, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 also will be presented, and the new Protector of the Year Award to honor the league's best offensive lineman in 2025 will be given out.

McCaffrey also is a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year, making him the first player in the running in three categories in the same season. Maye and Lawrence each are finalists for two awards.

All five MVP candidates led their teams to the postseason, with Maye and his New England Patriots and Stafford and his Los Angeles Rams to play in conference championship games on Sunday.

In the Coach of the Year category, the list includes three coaches in their debut season with their teams -- two of them first-year head coaches.

The finalists:

Most Valuable Player

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams

Coach of the Year

Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars

Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears

Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks