Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers: Who deserves to be the 2021 NFL MVP?

The 2021 NFL MVP race has been narrowed down to two realistic candidates, entering Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season. Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack with just one week remaining on the schedule. One of them is likely going to win the fourth NFL MVP award of their careers.

If one of the two were, in fact, selected as the winner this year, they would move within one of Peyton Manning, who has an all-time record with five NFL MVP awards in his career. Both Rodgers and Brady are having excellent seasons, but here's which one of the two deserves to win the top individual award for the 2021 NFL season.

Aaron Rodgers deserves to win the 2021 NFL MVP award

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers

While Tom Brady is having an incredible season, Aaron Rodgers has been slightly better overall. The Green Bay Packers enter Week 18 having already clinched the top seed in the NFC Playoffs with, at least, a share of the best record in the entire NFL. They are currently 13-3 overall, with Rodgers personally having a 13-2 record. He's lost just one game since Week 1 this year.

Tom Brady has appeared in all 16 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers games this season, recording a 12-4 overall record. He leads the entire NFL with 4,990 passing yards and 40 passing touchdowns. He is the only NFL player this season averaging more than 300 passing yards per game. Rodgers has recorded 3,977 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns.

While Brady has an edge in cumulative statistics, Rodgers has been much more efficient overall. Rodgers ranks fourth in the NFL with a 68.6 completion percentage, while Brady's 66.9 completion percentage ranks 15th. Although Brady has thrown five more touchdown passes, Rodgers has thrown eight fewer interceptions.

Rodgers' 8.75 touchdown interception ratio leads all players by a wide margin. Russell Wilson's 4.4 ratio is the closest, but only about half of Rodgers' ratio. Rodgers has also recorded a 67.8 QBR and 111.1 passer rating. He leads the entire NFL in both of those categories as well.

The overall individual efficiency paired with leading the best team in the NFL this season is what gives Aaron Rodgers the edge to win the 2021 NFL MVP award over Tom Brady. Based on his efficiency and his effective leadership of the Packers, Rodgers is likely going to win his second consecutive NFL MVP award and the fourth of his career.