If you're looking for one single name to answer who won the 2025 MVP, you're actually looking for a handful of legends. Sports doesn't have a "global" MVP. That'd be chaotic. Instead, 2025 gave us a mix of "finally!" moments and "this guy again?" dominance across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
Most people searching this right now are usually thinking of the NFL Honors that just wrapped up or the historic NBA race that basically rewrote the record books.
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Josh Allen and the 2025 NFL MVP Breakthrough
For years, Josh Allen was the "almost" guy. He had the arm. He had the rushing stats. But he always seemed to be standing in the shadow of Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson when the trophies were handed out. That changed on February 6, 2025, at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans.
Josh Allen won the 2025 NFL MVP. It wasn't a blowout. It was actually one of the tightest votes we've seen in a decade. Allen pulled in 383 points (27 first-place votes), narrowly beating out Lamar Jackson’s 362 points. Honestly, if you ask a Ravens fan, they’ll tell you Lamar was robbed because he became the first player ever to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 800 in the same season.
But the voters loved Allen's narrative. The Bills traded away Stefon Diggs. Everyone thought Buffalo was entering a "retooling" year. Instead, Allen accounted for 41 total touchdowns—28 through the air, 12 on the ground, and he even caught one. He became the only player in NFL history with five straight seasons of 40-plus offensive touchdowns.
NFL Honors 2025 Quick Look
- Winner: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
- Runner-up: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
- Third Place: Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Surprise Stat: Allen won MVP despite not being named a First-Team All-Pro. Weird, right?
The North Star: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Takes the NBA
While the NFL was about a veteran finally getting his due, the NBA was about a changing of the guard. On May 21, 2025, the league officially announced that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2025 NBA MVP.
SGA didn't just win; he dominated the conversation. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a staggering 68–14 record. That’s not just "good." That's historic. He averaged 32.7 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field. If you play basketball, you know how hard that is for a guard.
The vote count was 71 first-place votes for Shai and 29 for Nikola Jokić. The "Joker" had a triple-double season, sure, but the Thunder's sheer win total was too much to ignore. Shai is only the second Canadian to ever win the award, following in the footsteps of Steve Nash.
It’s kinda wild to think back to the Paul George trade now. The Clippers got PG, but the Thunder got the future of the league.
Shohei Ohtani: The 2025 MLB MVP Dynasty
MLB is where things got predictable, but in a "how is he even human?" kind of way. In November 2025, Shohei Ohtani won the National League MVP and Aaron Judge won the American League MVP.
This made them the first duo in baseball history to win the award in back-to-back seasons together.
Ohtani’s 2025 was basically a video game. He hit 55 home runs. He led the league with 146 runs scored. But the kicker? He was back on the mound. After his elbow surgery, he logged 47 innings for the Dodgers with a 2.87 ERA. He won the MVP unanimously for the fourth time.
Over in the American League, Aaron Judge did "Judge things." He hit .331 with 53 home runs. He’s the third player ever to have a batting title and 50+ homers in the same year. If Ohtani didn't exist, Judge would be the undisputed face of the sport.
Connor Hellebuyck: A Rare Win for the Goalies
Hockey usually gives the MVP (the Hart Trophy) to the guys scoring 100 points. Not in 2025. On June 12, 2025, Connor Hellebuyck won the 2025 NHL MVP.
It is incredibly rare for a goaltender to win the Hart. The last one to do it was Carey Price back in 2015. Hellebuyck was just a wall for the Winnipeg Jets. He had 47 wins, 8 shutouts, and a .925 save percentage.
He beat out Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon. It was a "tight race" in name only—81 first-place votes went to Hellebuyck. He basically carried Winnipeg to their first-ever Presidents' Trophy.
Why These 2025 Winners Matter
When you look at who won the 2025 MVP across these sports, a pattern emerges. The "voter fatigue" for guys like Jokić or Mahomes was real. People wanted new stories.
- Narrative over Stats: In the NFL, Lamar had better raw numbers, but Allen had the "carrying a depleted team" story.
- Efficiency is King: SGA won because he was hyper-efficient, not just a volume shooter.
- The Return of the Pitcher: Ohtani being a two-way player again made him untouchable in the voting booths.
If you're following the current 2026 races, keep these names in mind. Most of these guys are currently the betting favorites to repeat or at least stay in the top three. For instance, as of mid-January 2026, Matthew Stafford is actually the frontrunner for the next NFL MVP after a massive season with the Rams, though Drake Maye is breathing down his neck.
Actionable Insight for Fans and Bettors:
If you're looking to predict the next winner, don't just look at the box score. Look at the "story." Voters in 2025 proved they care about team wins and overcoming adversity more than just individual "counting" stats. If a player is leading a top-two seed and has a clear "carrying the team" narrative, that's where the smart money goes.
Keep an eye on the 2026 NBA midseason awards too; Shai is currently second in the race behind a healthy Nikola Jokić, who is averaging a triple-double again. The race never really stops.