Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wins his 2nd profession NFL MVP award

Patrick Mahomes has picked up the primary of what he hopes are two victories this week in Arizona. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was the clear winner of the Associated Press’ Most Valuable Player award, introduced Thursday night on the NFL Honors program.

It was the second MVP award of Mahomes’ six-year profession, making him the tenth participant ever to win the award twice. The different got here in 2018; solely Jim Brown and Kurt Warner received two MVPs in much less time firstly of a profession.

Mahomes received 48 of fifty first-place votes; the others went to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Overall within the voting, Mahomes completed with 490 factors. Hurts was second (193), Allen was third (151) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was fourth (128).

Mahomes led the NFL this season in passing yards (5,250), landing passes (41) and Total QBR (77.5) whereas main the Chiefs to a 14-3 report and the AFC’s No. 1 seed within the playoffs. He set an NFL report of 5,614 whole yards in a season, fought by a excessive ankle sprain to reel off a pair of postseason victories and can begin Sunday in Super Bowl LVII in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Speaking earlier Thursday because the Chiefs continued preparations within the Phoenix space, Mahomes stated “it would mean the world to be able to win” MVP.

“It’s so special,” he added. “It’s so hard to do and there are so many greats that have won that award and to be a part of that history is amazing. It’s not only a testament to me but my team because as much as it’s an individual award, it’s a team award as well and I hope my teammates know that. I’m sure they’d be excited for me. I’d hope that they would be. It’s not just me.

“In order to win the MVP, it’s a must to be on a terrific workforce and, particularly on the quarterback place now, you are going to have nice gamers round you as a result of whilst you’re throwing the soccer, they have to make the performs occur.”

Mahomes’ award came in the first year of a new voting system employed by the Associated Press, which asked voters to rank five finalists for MVP and three for its other awards, rather than just vote for one in each case.

Earlier in the evening, Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson won the AP’s offensive player of the year award. In his first season with new Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, Jefferson led the NFL with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards. Last year’s OPOY, Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp, played in the same scheme O’Connell brought to the Vikings after two seasons as the Rams’ offensive coordinator. The Kupp-Jefferson sequence marked the first time two receivers have ever won the award in consecutive seasons.

In a short but emotional acceptance speech, Jefferson, 23, concluded with: “More to come back. More to come back.”

The NFL’s defensive participant of the yr award went to San Francisco 49ers defensive finish Nick Bosa, who led the league with 18.5 sacks and ranked ninth amongst edge rushers in ESPN’s Pass Rush Win Rate metric (22%). The 49ers protection held opponents to a league-low 16.3 factors and 300.6 yards per sport in the course of the common season, and its defensive coordinator — DeMeco Ryans — was named the AP’s assistant coach of the yr award.

Ryans was employed final month because the Houston Texans’ head coach.

Meanwhile, the New York Jets used two top-10 draft picks to grow to be the third workforce in NFL historical past to brush the AP’s offensive and defensive rookie of the yr awards. Cornerback Sauce Gardner, the No. 4 general decide of the 2022 draft, led the NFL with 20 go breakups. And wideout Garrett Wilson, the No. 10 decide, led all NFL rookies in receiving yards (1,103).

Seattle Seahawks working again Kenneth Walker III really acquired extra first-place votes (19) than Wilson (18). But the brand new voting system — which gave 5 factors for a first-place vote, three factors for a second-place vote and one level for a third-place vote — left Wilson with extra whole factors (156 to 129).

The solely different groups to brush these awards have been the 2017 New Orleans Saints (working again Alvin Kamara and cornerback Marshon Lattimore) and the 1967 Detroit Lions (working again Mel Farr and cornerback Lem Barney).

New York Giants coach Brian Daboll was named the AP’s rookie of the yr. In his first season with the workforce, Daboll led the Giants to their first profitable season and first playoff berth in six seasons — whereas additionally coaxing a profession season from quarterback Daniel Jones. Daboll beat out the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan, who closed at Caesars as the favourite to win the award after main his workforce to 10 consecutive wins to complete the common season. Daboll had 16 first-place votes to Shanahan’s 12.

The AP’s comeback participant of the yr was Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, who earned a full-time beginning job for the primary time for the reason that 2014 season. He completed the season with a career-high 4,282 yards and 30 landing passes and ranked No. 7 within the league in QBR (60.7). In the Seahawks’ first season after buying and selling away franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, Smith led the Seahawks to an sudden profitable season and a wild-card playoff berth.