ESPN announced the nominees for the 2026 ESPY Awards, which includes a pair of Los Angeles Rams players in Matthew Stafford and Myles Garrett.
Stafford is nominated for two awards: Best Athlete, Men’s Sports, and Best NFL Player. Garrett is also nominated for Best NFL Player, along with Best Record-Breaking Performance.
Stafford is coming off an MVP season that saw him lead the NFL in both passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46) while guiding the Rams to the NFC Championship Game.
Stafford’s competition for Best Athlete, Men’s Sports, includes New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson, Inter Miami CF star Lionel Messi and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
As for Best NFL Player, Stafford is going up against Garrett, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Garrett was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career this past season after setting the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks.
He is entering his first season with the Rams after they acquired him from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster trade earlier this month. L.A. gave up three future draft picks, along with two-time Pro Bowler Jared Verse, to complete the deal.
For Best Record-Breaking Performance, Garrett’s competition includes UCLA softball star Megan Grant, who broke the NCAA single-season softball home run record; cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who became the first athlete to win six gold medals at the 2026 Winter Games; and long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe, who became the first person to finish a marathon in under two hours.
Fans can cast their ballots for the 2026 ESPYS at ESPYS.com through July 15. This year’s show will be hosted by comedian Marcello Hernández and takes place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Matthew Stafford compares Myles Garrett trade to leaving Lions
Stafford recently discussed the team’s blockbuster trade for Garrett and compared it to when he left the Detroit Lions.
“We haven’t had that conversation yet,” Stafford said on former Rams defense end Chris Long’s podcast. “But there’s no question about it. You’re right, there are some parallels.
“I know for me, and I’m assuming for Myles and we’ll have those conversations as we get back to training camp and do those things. But it was just invigorating. For so many years, I felt like I was this guy in Detroit, the leader of the organization, leader of it all. And still feel that way in L.A., but you get traded and you’re suddenly the new guy who’s got to learn everything and it’s like this new juice where you’re like, alright, now I just gotta make sure I’m up to par with everybody else.
“And obviously the physical traits, his stats, his ability is second-to-none. He’s an incredible football player so you’re not worried about those things. It’s just hey man, there’s some new energy to it where football isn’t the exact same as it’s been the last 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 years and I know that can be energizing for a player and a guy that is smart enough to understand what the stakes are and the opportunity that he’s just been given.”