All-Pro teams: Stafford over Maye, 3 unanimous picks
Matthew Stafford beat out Drake Maye, while Myles Garrett, Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba were unanimous choices for the 2025 Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team.
Bijan Robinson is the running back while Christian McCaffrey earned the All-Purpose spot. Ja’Marr Chase is the third wide receiver and tight end Trey McBride got 49 of 50 first-place votes.
Will Anderson Jr. and Micah Parsons joined Garrett at edge rusher. Jeffery Simmons and Zach Allen were selected as interior defensive linemen.
“That’s great. Needed that for real,” said Parsons, who had surgery to repair a torn ACL and won’t be playing in the playoffs for the Packers. “Look forward to trying to get back to that same status this offseason.”
The 37-year-old Stafford received 31 first-place votes to Maye’s 18 to earn All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career. Josh Allen got the other vote. Stafford was first in the NFL with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. His passer rating of 109.2 was second only to Maye, who finished at 113.5. Maye had 4,394 yards passing and 31 TDs.
First-team offense
| POS | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Matthew Stafford | Rams |
| RB | Bijan Robinson | Falcons |
| FB | Kyle Juszczyk | 49ers |
| WR | Puka Nacua | Rams |
| WR | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks |
| WR | Ja'Marr Chase | Bengals |
| TE | Trey McBride | Cardinals |
| AP* | Christian McCaffrey | 49ers |
| LT | Garett Bolles | Broncos |
| LG | Joe Thuney | Bears |
| C | Creed Humphrey | Chiefs |
| RG | Quinn Meinerz | Broncos |
| RT | Penei Sewell | Lions |
* denotes all-purpose selection
First-team defense
| POS | Player | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Myles Garrett | Browns |
| EDGE | Will Anderson | Texans |
| EDGE | Micah Parsons | Packers |
| IDL | Jeffery Simmons | Titans |
| IDL | Zach Allen | Broncos |
| LB | Jack Campbell | Lions |
| LB | Jordyn Brooks | Dolphins |
| CB | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans |
| CB | Quinyon Mitchell | Eagles |
| SCB | Cooper DeJean | Eagles |
| S | Kyle Hamilton | Ravens |
| S | Kevin Byard | Bears |
First-team special teams
| POS | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| K | Will Reichard | Vikings |
| P | Jordan Stout | Ravens |
| KR | Ray Davis | Bills |
| PR | Chimere Dike | Titans |
| ST | Devon Key | Broncos |
| LS | Ross Matiscik | Jaguars |
Second-team offense
| POS | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Drake Maye | Patriots |
| RB | James Cook | Bills |
| FB | Patrick Ricard | Ravens |
| WR | George Pickens | Cowboys |
| WR | Amon-Ra St.Brown | Lions |
| WR | Chris Olave | Saints |
| TE | Kyle Pitts | Falcons |
| LT | Trent Williams | 49ers |
| LG | Quenton Nelson | Colts |
| C | Aaron Brewer | Dolphins |
| RG | Chris Lindstrom | Falcons |
| RT | Darnell Wright | Bears |
Second-team defense
| POS | Player | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Brian Burns | Giants |
| EDGE | Danielle Hunter | Texans |
| EDGE | Aidan Hutchinson | Lions |
| IDL | Leonard Williams | Seahawks |
| IDL | Cameron Heyward | Steelers |
| LB | Devin Lloyd | Jaguars |
| LB | Ernest Jones | Seahawks |
| CB | Pat Surtain | Broncos |
| CB | Devon Witherspoon | Seahawks |
| SCB | Derwin James | Chargers |
| S | Jessie Bates | Falcons |
| S | Talanoa Hufanga^ | Broncos |
| S | Xavier McKinney^ | Packers |
^ denotes tie for second-team spot
Second-team special teams
| POS | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| K | Brandon Aubrey | Cowboys |
| P | Michael Dickson | Seahawks |
| KR | Kavontae Turpin | Cowboys |
| PR | Marcus Jones | Patriots |
| ST | Del'Shawn Phillips | Chargers |
| LS | Andrew DePaola | Vikings |
Last year, Lamar Jackson was the first-team All-Pro quarterback and Allen was the AP NFL MVP.
“That’s amazing,” Stafford said when he heard the news. “I did not see that coming. Played a lot of years. A lot of respect for this game. A lot of respect for the other guys who do what I do. It’s not an easy thing to do. It means a lot.”
Stafford is the second player ever to be named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in his 17th season or later, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Kicker Gary Anderson also made it for the first time in his 17th season, in 1998. Before Stafford, the longest wait for a quarterback was Fran Tarkenton, who was an All-Pro for the first time in his 15th season, in 1975.
The Denver Broncos, the AFC’s No. 1 seed, had four first-team players and two second. Allen, left tackle Garrett Boles, left guard Quinn Meinerz and special teamer Devon Key made the first team. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and safety Talanoa Hufanga made the second team.
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and slot cornerback Cooper DeJean made the roster in their second seasons. Houston’s Derek Stingley Jr. got 41 first-place votes to lead the voting at cornerback.
Chiefs center Creed Humphrey, Bears left guard Joe Thuney and Lions right tackle Penei Sewell along with Meinerz are repeat selections.
Garrett, who broke the NFL’s single-season sack record with 23, is a five-time All-Pro. Parsons is a three-time first-teamer and once made the second team.
“That’s crazy,” Anderson said about joining Garrett and Parsons. “It means a lot. It’s such a blessing. I have to give credit to my guys. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton and Chicago’s Kevin Byard are the safeties. Detroit’s Jack Campbell and Miami’s Jordyn Brooks are the linebackers.
San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk rounds out the offense.
Eighteen players are first-timers, including five on special teams.
Key, Vikings kicker Will Reichard, Ravens punter Jordan Stout, Bills kick returner Ray Davis and Titans rookie punt returner Chimera Dike are the first-timers. Jaguars long snapper Ross Matiscik made it for the second time.
Dike is the fourth rookie since 2020 to make the team.
“That’s awesome,” Dike said. “Everyone wants to be All-Pro one day and that’s one of the goals I set at the beginning of the season for my career and to be able to do that in my first year, I’m just thankful (special teams) coach (John Fassel) and my teammates had belief in me.”
This was the fourth year for the AP’s new voting system. Voters chose a first team and a second team. First-team votes are worth 3 points, second-team votes are worth 1.
Votes were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr.
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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
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