The NFL regular season has come to a close, which means it’s time to hand out some hardware. Here are my picks for this season’s NFL awards, set to be announced on Thursday, February 6th.
MVP: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Sure, the numbers aren’t as eye-popping as Lamar Jackson’s, but guess what? Jackson’s weren’t like that last season when he won this award. This is simple for me: Allen, I feel, did more with less around him. Not to mention, the Bills won more games.
Buffalo needed Allen to be his best self to succeed in 2024 after losing several key pieces on offense last offseason, and Allen delivered. For just the second time in his career, he threw single-digit interceptions, setting a career-low with only six. He accounted for 41 total touchdowns this season—nearly 63% of the Bills' total touchdowns in the regular season.
Allen deserves to take home his first career MVP award for his 2024 campaign.
My MVP Ballot:
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive Player Of The Year: Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
It’s very difficult to outshine a receiver who became just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to win the Triple Crown at the position. However, what Saquon Barkley accomplished in his first season with the Eagles was nothing short of sensational.
Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season. Had he played in Week 18, he might have broken Eric Dickerson’s single-season record, falling just 101 yards short of the Hall of Famer’s mark.
After a disastrous end to last season in Philadelphia, Barkley set the tone upon his arrival, transforming the team into a juggernaut once again. His dominance has been a driving force behind the Eagles’ incredible season.
My OPOY Ballot:
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Ja'Marr chase Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Defensive Player Of The Year: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
If there was any doubt going into the season, Patrick Surtain II firmly established himself as the undisputed best cornerback in football this year. The Alabama product finished the regular season with four interceptions and 11 pass deflections, consistently matched up against some of the league’s top receivers—Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, D.K. Metcalf, and Garrett Wilson, to name a few of his notable battles over the last 18 weeks.
Surtain allowed just 326 yards on 38 completions all season, a remarkable feat. If he wins the award, he would become only the 10th non-pass rusher since 2000 to do so and just the seventh cornerback in NFL history to earn this honor.
My DPOY Ballot:
Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Coach Of The Year: Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
Prior to the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos’ projected win total was just 5.5, and they were widely predicted to be among the worst teams in football. Yet, they now find themselves in the playoffs.
Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings is likely to win this award, and for good reason—the Vikings defied expectations, winning 14 games despite a projected win total of 6.5. Most questions surrounding Minnesota revolved around the quarterback position. For Denver, however, the concerns extended to the perceived lack of talent across the entire roster.
Sean Payton and his staff did an exceptional job of developing their players and putting them in the best positions to succeed. Their efforts led to one of the greatest turnarounds in the NFL this season, all while navigating the challenge of a massive $91.271 million in dead cap space.
It’s a truly remarkable achievement, and for that reason, my vote would go to Payton.
My Coach Of The Year Ballot:
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
Offensive Rookie Of The Year: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and second overall pick in last year’s draft wasn’t just good for a rookie—he was one of the best quarterbacks in football all season long. Daniels accounted for 31 of Washington’s 55 touchdowns, serving as the driving force behind the Commanders’ remarkable season.
Washington tripled their win total, going from 4 wins in 2023 to an outstanding 12 in 2024, and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
My OROY Ballot:
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Defensive Rookie Of The Year: Jared Verse, LB, Los Angeles Rams
After future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Donald announced his retirement in the offseason, many questions arose about the Rams’ defense heading into 2024. Fortunately, rookie Jared Verse provided plenty of answers.
The 19th overall pick had an impressive debut season, finishing with 4.5 sacks—6th among this year’s draft class—and leading all rookies with 77 total pressures. Remarkably, that total was also good enough to rank 4th in the entire league.
Verse’s phenomenal rookie campaign is a major reason why the Rams have made the playoffs this season.
My DROY Ballot:
Jared Verse, LB, Los Angeles Rams
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Braden Fiske, DT, Los Angeles Rams
Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Chop Robinson, LB, Miami Dolphins
Comeback Player Of The Year: Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
Honestly, I never would have thought about this before hearing Ryen Russillo discuss it on his podcast, but the more he talked, the more I agreed. After Week 2, when Bryce Young was benched, his career as a starter seemed over just two games into his second season.
The 2023 number-one overall pick was the subject of trade rumors for weeks, and many believed that if he had any chance to succeed in the NFL, it would have to be outside of Carolina. However, after reclaiming the starting job in Week 8 following Andy Dalton’s involvement in a car accident, Young never looked back.
Over the last 10 games of the season, Young posted a respectable 4-6 record while throwing 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He ended the year on a high note with undoubtedly the best performance of his career: a thrilling 44-38 overtime victory in Atlanta, where he accounted for five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). Most importantly, we saw that infectious smile back on his face.
Young’s second-half resurgence has given this Panthers fan base renewed hope heading into 2025. While I’m still unsure how good he will be in the long term, the Panthers can confidently head into the offseason knowing that, for now, they have their guy under center.
My Comeback Player Of The Year Ballot:
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Tim Patrick, WR, Detroit Lions
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