The Associated Press NFL MVP Award Has Been Announced

The NFL season is coming to an end and awards night is upon us. The league announced its award winners on Thursday, including the NFL MVP. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen won the award, beating out Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. It was a surprise victory, as the NFL hasn’t had an undisputed MVP in 21 seasons.

The winner was decided by 50 voters, all selected by the Associated Press. Voters could choose up to five players and first-place votes carry the most weight, with 10 points for the first choice, seven for second place, five for third place, three for fourth, and two for fifth. The winners were announced on Thursday at the NFL Honors ceremony.

Allen received 35 first-place votes, while Jackson got 12. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished second in the voting with 12 first-place votes and a total of 31. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still, Texans safety Calen Bullock and Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil each got one first-place vote.

While many had Jackson as the favorite to win, it came down to a race between him and Allen. Both players had outstanding seasons, but in the end it was Allen’s emergence as a premier passer who led his team to the playoffs that won him the award.

Interestingly, this was the first time that an MVP has been awarded without a player being a first-team All-Pro. The last time this happened was in 1987, when John Elway won the award despite not making the All-Pro team. The other was in 2003, when Steve McNair won co-MVP with Peyton Manning.

The other major award of the evening was the AP Defensive Player of the Year, which went to Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain. The No. 19 overall pick made a huge impact on the defense, leading all rookies with 18 quarterback pressures and 50 quarterback hits. He also had four interceptions and 4.5 sacks.

Another big surprise was Washington Commanders coach Jayden Daniels winning the AP NFL Coach of the Year award. He turned around a 4-13 team and led them to a franchise-best record of 14-3. The Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell was a close second with 25 first-place votes, while Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid each received five. The rest of the voting was split among the other eight teams in the AFC West.