Jan. 30, 2026, 10:31 a.m. PT

With the Los Angeles Rams‘ season ending, it’s time to reflect on the year it was. They fell short of their goal, losing in the NFC title game, but it was still an impressive run by Matthew Stafford and the rest of the team through the playoffs.

The Rams improved on both sides of the ball, finishing with the No. 1 overall offense in the league and a defense that, despite its flaws, allowed the 10th-fewest points in the league.

We’re handing out awards and superlatives from the 2025 season, recognizing those who stood out for Los Angeles.

MVP: Matthew Stafford

Surprise! The MVP of the league is also the MVP of his own team. Stafford was nothing short of sensational this season, leading the NFL with 46 touchdown passes, 4,707 passing yards and throwing just eight interceptions.

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There’s no chance the Rams come close to sniffing the Super Bowl without Stafford. Beyond his sheer passing ability, he commands the offense incredibly well, audibling at the line of scrimmage to ensure the Rams have their best chance to succeed.

He was accurate throwing to all areas of the field and often put the ball in the perfect spot to create yards after the catch. It was a remarkably great season from the 37-year-old quarterback.

Offensive Player of the Year: Puka Nacua

Nacua just keeps getting better, which seemed impossible after the first two seasons he had in the NFL. He led the league with 129 catches and averaged an NFL-best 107.2 yards per game, establishing himself as one of the three or four best receivers in the sport, if not the very best.

He did a good job staying healthy this season, too, missing only one game and parts of two others. When the Rams needed someone to make a play, he was the guy. Stafford called his number time after time on third down and it was extremely rare that he didn’t deliver with a catch for a first down.

Defensive Player of the Year: Byron Young

This was a tough call between Young, Jared Verse and Kamren Curl. They all had a major impact on defense, but Young’s emergence and knack for creating negative plays stood out. He had 74 total pressures on 476 pass-rush snaps, which is 26 fewer pressures than Verse had on 160 fewer pass-rush snaps.

Young dropped into coverage a lot and was also asked to support against the run, doing a quality job in both phases. His 12 sacks were 4.5 more than any other player on the team, and he also led the Rams with 12 tackles for a loss and 29 quarterback hits.

Rookie of the Year: Josaiah Stewart

Let’s preface this by saying the Rams got very little out of their rookie class this year. Terrance Ferguson had some bright moments, but he was a non-factor early on and only caught 11 passes. Stewart played the most snaps (374) of any Rams rookie and showed legitimate flashes of being a quality edge rusher.

His 27 pressures were the sixth-most on the team despite only playing 199 snaps where he rushed the quarterback. He’s got a bright future with the Rams, especially knowing how motivated he is to stop the run in addition to rushing the passer. His three sacks were tied with Braden Fiske for the fourth-most on the team.

Most improved: Colby Parkinson and Blake Corum

It was too difficult to pick just one player in this category. Parkinson’s raw numbers may not show a major jump from 2024 to 2025 (30 to 43 catches, 294 to 408 yards) but he performed much better in less playing time. He scored eight touchdowns in the regular season after scoring just once in 2024, becoming the big red zone threat the Rams envisioned him being when he was signed in free agency.

Corum took a major step forward in Year 2, rushing for 746 yards on only 145 carries (5.1 yards per attempt). He was a perfect complement to Kyren Williams, showing more juice and elusiveness in the open field than Williams did. He’d likely be a starter on multiple NFL teams if given the opportunity but the Rams are happy to have him as their No. 2 back.

Best free-agent signing: Davante Adams

Adams, Poona Ford and Nate Landman were all candidates for this award, but as close it was, Adams gets the slight edge. He led the NFL in touchdown receptions with 14 and even though he wasn’t a high-volume receiver or the most efficient player, he still came up with big plays over the middle and on routes along the sideline.

Just look at the catch he made against the Bears in overtime.

The Rams missed him when he was injured, particularly in the red zone. He proved to be a big upgrade over Cooper Kupp as the No. 2 wide receiver and lived up to all the hype he generated during the offseason.

Biggest disappointment: Tutu Atwell

The Rams sure didn’t envision paying Atwell $10 million for six catches but that’s what they wound up with. Those six catches did go for 192 yards and a touchdown, including an 88-yard game-winner against the Colts, but Atwell’s impact was non-existent otherwise. He wasn’t even active for the final two playoff games despite being healthy for them.

It’s not just that the Rams gave him a big chunk of money. It’s that the door was wide open for him to be the No. 3 wideout on the team and he still couldn’t break through as a key contributor. It was his worst season since his rookie year, which is hard to believe given his contract.

Biggest surprise: Warren McClendon Jr.

Rob Havenstein began the year as the starting right tackle again but after landing on IR, McClendon stepped up. And boy, did he ever. He proved to be an upgrade, holding down the right tackle spot for the remainder of the year, and likely into 2026.

His emergence was a huge surprise because prior to this season, he hadn’t shown many signs of being a high-end starter at tackle. Now, the Rams can deprioritize the offensive tackle position in the draft and free agency, knowing they have McClendon for another year.

Most underrated: Kevin Dotson and Poona Ford

Dotson will forever be underrated until he earns Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition. He’s been that good with the Rams, yet he’s not getting the respect he deserves. The offensive line regressed when he went down with an ankle injury in Week 16, both in pass protection and the run game. He’s a massive people-mover on the interior, excelling as a run blocker on inside rushes.

Ford is the defensive version of Dotson. He does all the dirty work in the middle of the defensive line but doesn’t get enough credit for not only stopping the run, but rushing the passer, too. Just think, he had 34 pressures this season (including playoffs), which is 31 more than Bobby Brown III had last season in a similar role.