It’s time to close out our nominations for the 2025 Detroit Lions awards. Of course, we finish with the biggest award of all: Most Valuable Player.
Before we get into it, make sure you cast your ballot for all of the other awards below.
Previous awards (voting still open!)
Onto our nominations for MVP.
2025 Detroit Lions MVP
Jeremy Reisman: Jared Goff
With an inconsistent running game and relatively poor pass protection, Jared Goff still delivered arguably top-five quarterback numbers, a top-five scoring offense, and helped this team keep its head above water and in postseason contention until very late in the season. I know picking a quarterback for MVP is boring, but Goff’s overall reliability and consistency goes overlooked and underappreciated every year.
Al Karsten: Jared Goff
Goff delivered in 2025 against all odds. Despite a struggling offensive line, inconsistent playcalling, injuries at tight end and along the interior line, and an uneven run game, he put together arguably the most impressive season of his career. At times, he carried the team on his back, uplifting his play beyond what he had shown in the previous two seasons at times, finishing with a 34–8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, a 105.5 passer rating, and 4,500 passing yards. With an elevated offensive ecosystem surrounding him in 2026, Goff could be a serious contender for league MVP.
Erik Schlitt: Penei Sewell
The first pillar of this team’s foundation, Sewell has been in a leadership role for a few years now, and his on-field play is absolutely dominant. A freak of an athlete, Sewell has no limits as a blocker, as he can be left on an island in pass protection and steamrolls defenders in every blocking scheme. Sewell sets a tone of consistency and demands that his teammates rise to his level, a true MVP in every way.
Meko Scott: Jared Goff
The numbers tell the story of Jared Goff’s impact on this team. Amid constant changes to the offensive line and play calling, Goff remained a steady presence who consistently elevated those around him. While his performances against the Vikings left something to be desired, he still finished among the league’s top quarterbacks in passing yards, completion percentage, touchdowns, and explosive plays downfield. It was an impressive season from QB1 that deserves real praise and recognition.
John Whiticar: Jared Goff
I personally dislike how MVP is practically a quarterback award by default, but Goff truly earned it in 2025. In previous years, you could argue that he was elevated by a great offensive line, offensive coordinator, and run game. He had none of these in 2025. John Morton was effectively canned midseason. Aside from Penei Sewell, the offensive line was either injured or disappointing. The rushing effectiveness with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery took a sharp downturn. Despite all of this, Goff shined, putting together another great season.
Brandon Knapp: Penei Sewell
While Gibbs was a close second for me, the finalist for Protector of the Year has now taken over as the best OL on the team with Frank Ragnow retiring. He did miss one game due to injury, but he helped the most when it came to the run game for the OL and keeping Goff upright. If the team didn’t have him, the offense would’ve taken a huge step back.
Ryan Mathews: Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs was the one player, week in and week out, who felt in control of the Lions’ fate on offense. Check the box scores: if Gibbs was productive, Detroit was competitive and stacking wins. In the games where he was held in check, the Lions struggled. His explosiveness in both the run and pass game was something that buoyed an offense that struggled to be successful down to down.
Vote for the winner below, and make sure you vote for all the awards linked at the top of the page. Voting will run through this weekend, and the winners will all be announced on Monday morning!
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