The news leaked a couple days before it became official, but Tom Brady was named NFL MVP Saturday.
The Patriots quarterback was announced as the winner during Saturday’s NFL Honors show in Minneapolis the night before Super Bowl 52.

🚨🚨 TB12 = MVP! 🚨🚨@Patriots QB Tom Brady is the 2017 Most Valuable Player! #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/sdRsLaECXn
— NFL (@NFL) February 4, 2018

An NFL staff member was noticed Thursday standing near Patriots press conferences carrying a sheet of paper that had “Tom Brady acceptance speech.”

Brady, 40, is the oldest player to ever be named MVP — three years older than Peyton Manning was in 2013. Brady became the oldest player to lead the NFL in passing this season when he threw for 4,577 yards and was third with 32 touchdowns to just eight interceptions.
Brady has the Patriots in the Super Bowl for the eighth time during his 18-year career and is going for a record sixth championship.

A message from the MVP: pic.twitter.com/bHuJGvy6Vy
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 4, 2018

Brady beat out Rams running back Todd Gurley, who ran for 1,305 yards and caught 64 passes for 788 yards to lead the NFL with 2,093 yards from scrimmage despite sitting out the regular-season finale. The Rams went 11-5 to win the NFC West and posted their first winning season since 2003 — the last time they won the division. Gurley was named the Offensive Player of the Year.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who threw for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns to seven picks in just 13 games before tearing his ACL in a win over the Rams, also garnered MVP consideration. The Eagles were 11-2 after the win over the Rams and finished 13-3 to win the NFC East and claim the top seed in the NFC playoffs. Nick Foles stepped in for Wentz and helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2004 season.
Steelers receiver Antonio Brown was trying to become the first-ever wide receiver to be named the AP NFL MVP. Brown caught 101 passes for a league-high 1,533 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games this season to help the Steelers win the AFC North.

Quarterbacks will always get the voters’ bump and Brady’s MVP is his third, previously claiming MVP honors in 2007 and 2010.

MOST.
VALUABLE.
PLAYER.

Tom Brady's Top 10 plays of 2017! #NFLHonors #NotDone pic.twitter.com/nFI6j0iuDc
— NFL (@NFL) February 4, 2018