NFL analyst Sam Monson openly admitted that he gave Justin Herbert a first-place MVP vote, a decision that may have taken the award away from second-year quarterback Drake Maye. When the news initially surfaced, fans and media members alike were stunned and quick to criticize the anonymous voter before knowing who it actually was.
Once Monson revealed himself and explained his reasoning, the backlash did not slow. Questions were raised not only about the vote itself, but about his qualifications as an MVP voter altogether. From a broad perspective, Maye was widely viewed as the better quarterback throughout the regular season, a belief that was reinforced after the Patriots eliminated the Chargers in the Wild Card round.
However, the NFL Playoffs are now complete, and the narrative shifted dramatically. The Seattle Seahawks thoroughly dismantled New England in the Super Bowl, and for the fourth straight game, Maye appeared overwhelmed. This time, it cost his team on the biggest stage.
The pressure mounted quickly against a Seahawks defense that never needed to send more than four rushers to collapse the pocket. On the other side, Seattle’s offense controlled the game, with Sam Darnold protecting the football and consistently putting Maye in difficult field-position situations. New England simply had no answers.
Maybe Sam Monson wasn't wrong to consider Justin Herbert the league's Most Valuable Player
Meanwhile, Herbert once again spent the season operating behind some of the league’s worst protection. This year may have been the most challenging yet. With Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater missing significant time, their replacements also falling to injury, and the remaining pieces struggling badly, Herbert was forced to carry the offense in any way he could.
The Chargers’ defense helped keep games close, but Herbert received little assistance from his offensive line or from Greg Roman’s play-calling, which ultimately led to Roman’s departure. Given those circumstances, the Chargers finishing 11–6 was at least as impressive as New England’s regular-season success, especially when accounting for the stark differences in schedules and adversity.
Should Herbert have won the 2025 NFL MVP? No. But was Sam Monson unreasonable for voting based on the overall value Herbert brought to the Chargers?
Also, no.
After Maye’s playoff collapse, it is fair to revisit whether he was truly deserving of nearly stealing the award from Matthew Stafford, who put together a remarkable season while navigating one of the league’s toughest divisions and schedules.
Herbert was never going to win the MVP, but what he accomplished amid constant adversity deserves recognition. Had Drake Maye been placed under the same pressure Herbert faced throughout the season, it is fair to wonder how New England’s year might have unfolded. Unfortunately, that is one question we will never have a definitive answer to.