Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^* Knutson Craig L	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MFA FINANCIAL, INC. [ MFA ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) CEO and President
(Last) (First) (Middle) C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC., ONE VANDERBILT AVENUE, 48TH FLOOR	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 1/3/2022
(Street) NEW YORK, NY 10017 (City) (State) (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)*
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)			11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Phantom Shares	⁽¹⁾	1/3/2022		A		278868		⁽²⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	278868	$0	1808534	D
Phantom Shares	⁽¹⁾	1/3/2022		A		478898 ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾		⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	Common Stock	478898 ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	$0	2287332	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Each phantom share represents the right to receive one share of MFA Financial, Inc. common stock.
(2)	These phantom shares are scheduled to vest, subject to forfeiture, on December 31, 2024, and thereafter will be settled in an equivalent number of shares of MFA common stock within 30 days following the vesting date.
(3)	These phantom shares are performance-based equity awards. The number of phantom shares reported represents the target number of phantom shares granted. The number of underlying shares of MFA common stock that the recipient becomes entitled to receive at the time of vesting will generally range from 0% to 200% of the target number of phantom shares granted, subject to the achievement of a pre-established performance metric. The vesting of these phantom shares will generally occur on December 31, 2024, based on MFA's absolute total stockholder return (TSR) and MFA's TSR as compared to the TSR of a designated peer group of companies, in each case for the three years then ended.
(4)	The number of phantom shares to vest will be adjusted to reflect the value of any dividends paid on MFA's common stock during the vesting period in respect of the number of phantom shares that ultimately vest. The phantom shares will be settled in an equivalent number of shares of MFA common stock within 30 days following the vesting date.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Knutson Craig L C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC. ONE VANDERBILT AVENUE, 48TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10017	X		CEO and President