Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2025 NFL season.

Schwesinger won the award over New York Giants' Abdul Carter, Seattle Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori, and Atlanta Falcons’ Xavier Watts and James Pearce Jr.

Schwesinger finished with 40 of 50 first-place votes, beating out Emmanwori, who came in second place with 199 points total and seven first-place votes.

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Schwesinger was the favorite coming into the night after a tremendous year at middle linebacker for a formidable Browns defense despite what the record may say in 2025.

He’s also just the fifth non-first-round pick that has won the award in the last 40 seasons.

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The second-round pick out of UCLA led all rookies with 146 combined tackles, which has him in the top five all-time for tackles in a rookie season.

Schwesinger also notched two interceptions, 11 tackles for loss and three passes defended.

Schwesinger also battled through an ankle injury this season, playing 16 of 17 games for Kevin Stefanski’s club. He tallied 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits as well, showcasing his ability to get to the quarterback.

Speaking of the coaching staff, the team gave Schwesinger the "green dot" on his helmet, meaning he was calling the defense in the huddle for Cleveland all season as a rookie.

While first-rounders get the spotlight, it’s players after day one of the NFL Draft that make a team whole.

The Browns clearly got their second-rounder right this past year, as Schwesinger proved to be a cornerstone piece, and he has the hardware to prove it now.

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was named NFL Most Valuable Player for 2025 on Thursday night. 

Stafford was presented the award at the NFL Honors in California after a career season for the Rams. 

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At 37 years old, Stafford led the NFL in both passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46), while recording a career-low eight interceptions. His individual production guided the Rams to the NFC Championship Game, where their season ended in a 31-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The MVP race came down to Stafford and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

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Maye finished the season with the league's highest completion percentage and QBR while leading the Patriots to a 14-3 record. Stafford, however, led the league in volume production, throwing 12 more touchdowns than Maye and accounting for the vast majority of the Rams' total offensive output

For Stafford, it was the best season he has put together as a pro.

His 2011 season with the Detroit Lions remains his highest yardage total at 5,038 yards, but that year included 16 interceptions and a lower passer rating of 97.2. Similarly, during his 2021 Super Bowl-winning season, Stafford threw for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns but led the league with 17 interceptions. 

But in 2025, Stafford surpassed the touchdown totals of both those seasons while cutting his turnovers in half, resulting in a superior passer rating of 109.2

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