Josh Allen wins his first NFL MVP prize and beats Lamar Jackson in one of the most intense races ever

New Orleans
Cnn
–

Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen was named NFL’s most valuable player on Thursday and beat Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson in one of the closest MVP races this year.

Allen, who led the bills to the AFC Championship Game, had a career season as leader of one of the league’s most potent offensive attacks. Allen passed for more than 3,700 meters and ran for another 531 on the ground while counting for 40 gathering touchdowns.

“I know this is an individual price and it says the most valuable player on it, but I think it’s derived from team success and I love my team,” Allen said.

“We got such a large dressing room in Buffalo, and it all takes from the equipment staff to training rooms to the strength staff. … it really takes everyone to have team success and I am so lucky to be part of a great organization. ”

The price is the first time Allen is appointed the league’s MVP.

He also surpassed Jackson in the playoffs when Bills defeated Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round in one of the season’s leading matches.

Jackson had a strong case for the award himself, which passed in over 4,100 yards and drove in 915 more. He accounted for 45 touchdowns, 41 of which came through the air.

The other finalists for the award were Philadelphia Eagles, who drove back Saquon Barkley, Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow and Detroit Lions Quarterback Jared Goff, although the race was largely seen as a two-man race between Allen and Jackson.

“Lamar also deserved this award very much,” Allen said. “I got nothing but love and respect for him in this game. He is, as I said earlier, a great steward for the game. And every time we share a field, I am very lucky to be mentioned the same breath as him. ”

Allen also thanked his fiancé, actor and singer Hailee Steinfeld, whom he called his best friend.

“It’s been a few months, I will tell you,” Allen said. “It was clear that we played this weekend, wish I wasn’t here. But life goes ahead and fills from the field to the players also matters, and where I am in my life, with my family, with my fiancé Hailee, I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t be more ecstatic that I get to spend my life with. ”

Washington Commanders’ Quarterback Jayden Daniels put his team on his back all season, led them to an unlikely trip to the NFC Championship game. He closed his season with one last performance: to become NFL’s offensive rookie in the year.

No. 2 Total draft elections in 2024 went over more than 3,500 meters in its first NFL campaign and ran for another 890 meters. He accounted for 31 gathered touchdowns in the air and on the ground.

“It’s nothing but hard work. … To be back in Louisiana to receive a prize and have two of my best friends behind me and also nominated, it’s just an honor, “said Daniels, who ended his college career at Louisiana State University.

Daniels’ incredible Hail Mary Pass to beat Chicago Bears as time expired earlier in the season also won the award for the year for the year.

Patrick SurTain II was the surprising choice for the league’s biggest defensive player after a year of four interceptions and 14 passports defense.

It was widely believed that Cleveland Brown’s defensive than Myles Garrett was the favorite of the award, but Surtain’s status as one of the game’s most lockdown corners – when he was only targeting 62 times all season – won him the award. When he was targeted, Quarterbacks had only a 58.9 assessment against him.

He called the victory something he worked throughout the season and a dream.

“It’s just all technique and all movie studio, and I want to be the best version of myself every single game and I keep my side of the pitch down,” Surtain told CNN. “I think this is where I become most valuable to the team when I do my job and I keep my side of the field on Lockdown. So that’s what I did all year. You know I set the thoughts forward to having a good year and that’s what I was going to do is lock my side of the field. ”

Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles, who runs back that set the league on fire in his first season in the City of Brotherly Love, took the NFL’s offensive player of the year award home.

Barkley was the ninth race back to ever rush for more than 2,000 meters and has helped lead his team to the Super Bowl. He also made one of the seasons of the season and drew an incredibly reverse obstacle in week 9 over Jacksonville Jaguars.

Barkley would also later be named the Jim Brown Award winner to lead the league into rushing.

Barkley and Eagles play in Sunday’s Super Bowl, and he did not attend the ceremony to accept his price.

Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow won the award after putting a star season after an injury that plagued the season 2023. After a lack of significant time in 2023 due to veal and wrist damage, Burrow threw in 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns when Bengals only missed of the end game.

Burrow has been exposed to several injuries since he entered the league, something he was referring to in his acceptance speech, but when he was fully healthy in 2024, he had his best campaign to date.

The award was practically awarded by Hall of Fame -Grees Receiver Randy Moss, who is being treated for cancer.

Los Angeles Rams Linebacker Jared Verse took the award for the defensive rookie in the year after a campaign that saw him rack 66 total tackles, 4.5 bags, two forced fumbles and two fumble recovery.

Verse also had a Stellar Playoff campaign that restored a fumble against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round and followed up with the Recycle Bin against Eagles fans with two sacks and four solo tackles in the Divisional Round defeat in Philadelphia.

“It’s a small step towards them,” Verse said of the award and his overall career goals. “You know there are many people who win this award that after they win it, they will be satisfied. It’s just a small step to a bigger goal. ”

Minnesota Viking’s principal coach Kevin O’Connell won the award in his third season leading Vikes.

He led his team to a 14-3 season, second in NFC North to Detroit Lions. The Vikings had a disappointing end of the year and lost to Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round a week after he was defeated by the Lions for the division.

Still, it was a relapse season for the Vikings after walking 7-10 in 2023 and losing starting quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​to free agency. When rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy went down with a season-ending injury before the season, the team had to turn to Sam Darnold, in his first season with the team after disappointing period with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers. O’Connell helped Darnold to a career year and led one of the most explosive offenses in the league.

“I thought a lot about this season with this team, I thought it would have a chance to be a special team. … I just believed in our organization, my belief in our coach and our players to get together and just try to win a football game.

He added, “It’s a good example of unique people and unique things being able to get together and we found a way to try to have unique results.”

ARIK ARMSTEAD FROM JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS was named Walter Payton Man of the Year for his work in the community, which encourages education and promotes reading. A large part of his work has been against increasing literacy through his Armstead Academic project.

He has been named his team’s husband this year five times throughout his career – in San Francisco and Jacksonville – and this was his first time that won the league’s honor.

“This is a huge honor. The NFL (and) Payton family is doing a good job of making this award prestigious and really what they want it, ”said Armstead. “And you know that being mentioned in the same breath as the great Walter Payton is a huge honor and validation of the work that we all try to do in our society. And man, it is a huge sense of responsibility that I feel for you know, carry this yet forward and continue to serve and serve more people.

Since establishing the Armstead Academic Project in 2019, the defensive Lineman has donated millions of dollars to community efforts to improve literacy, deliver educational material and invest in schools both in the Bay Area and in Jacksonville. According to the NFL, Armstead and his wife donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to schools in the area.

For Armstead, work is about honoring those who helped him as he fought in school as a young and teachers and teachers who continue to help today’s youth.

“We had a huge teaching evaluation event in Sacramento, where I come from, the last year when we really wanted to honor the teachers that I feel have the most important job in our society (who) educate our youth,” Armstead said. “Then you know to pay it back and show appreciation for those who have helped me – not only me personally to get in this position, but also help our young people daily – is very huge to us.”