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Bills QB Allen edges Ravens' Jackson for NFL MVP

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Feb 7, 2025American Football

In the closest MVP race in nine years, Josh Allen edged out Lamar Jackson to win his first NFL MVP.

Allen, who led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title, got 27 first-place votes to Jackson's 23 and finished with 383 points. He received 22 second-place votes and one third.

Jackson, who led the Ravens to a second straight AFC North championship, got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points.

It was the tightest finish since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished third with 120 points, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was next with 82 points and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff was fifth with 47 points.

Allen threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. He ran for 531 yards and 12 scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to have five consecutive seasons with at least 40 total touchdowns.

Jackson had career-highs with 4,172 yards passing, 41 TDs to just four interceptions and a 119.6 passer rating, which led the NFL. He got 30 first-place votes to Allen's 18 to earn AP first-team All-Pro honours.

The last time a first-team All-Pro did not win the NFL MVP award was 1987. John Elway was the MVP that season and Joe Montana was first-team All-Pro. The MVP award is given to a player who had the most valuable season, while All-Pro is a statistical recognition.

Ryan got 25 first-place votes and Brady finished second with 10, while four other players combined for the remaining 15 votes in 2016. It was the last time the MVP winner received less than 55% of the first-place votes.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels

The Washington Commanders' franchise quarterback was nearly a unanimous selection as the top offensive rookie in 2024.

Daniels received 49 of a possible 50 first-place votes, with Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers getting the other.

Daniels led a Commanders team that finished 4-13 last season to a 12-5 campaign and took Washington to an NFC Championship game appearance. The Commanders' two playoff wins this season were the first by the franchise since 2005.

Daniels' dual-threat capabilities made him an immediate fan favourite and a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Daniels threw for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added 891 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns.

Bowers – who set rookie tight end records with 112 receptions for 1,194 yards – finished second in voting, and Denver quarterback Bo Nix finished third.

Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II

Patrick Surtain II walked away with honours as the league's top defensive player, beating out sacks leader Trey Hendrickson.

In his fourth year out of Alabama, Surtain had 11 pass breakups and four interceptions, including one returned 100 yards for a touchdown.

Surtain received 26 first-place votes. Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals garnered 11 first-place votes after finishing with 17 ½ sacks. Cleveland Browns rusher Myles Garrett finished third.

Coach of the Year: Kevin O'Connell

In his third year at the helm of the Vikings, Kevin O'Connell was voted the 2024 Coach of the Year after leading Minnesota to a 14-3 regular season.

Minnesota's 14 wins were the second most in a season in franchise history, and this season's Vikings improved by seven wins over last season.

The Detroit Lions' Dan Campbell finished second in voting after leading his team to the top seed in the NFC and a franchise-best 15-2 record. Andy Reid, who is preparing to lead the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, finished third.