Josh Allen wins AP NFL Most Valuable Player award
Coach of the Year went to the Vikings’ O’Connell
NEW ORLEANS — Josh Allen wanted to leave New Orleans with different hardware. Still, he’s happy to be recognized for his accomplishments.
Allen edged two-time winner Lamar Jackson for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in the closest race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016.
“I wish we weren’t hoisting this trophy. I wish we were hoisting the Lombardi — and we’re going to keep working until we do,” Allen said Thursday, referring to winning a Super Bowl.
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. The Bills fell short of playing on Sunday, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.
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.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished third (120 points) followed by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (82) and Lions QB Jared Goff (47).
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.
“I feel like my teammates wanted this more for me than I did, but I’m very honored,” said Allen, who was joined at the awards by fiance Hailee Steinfeld.
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 honors.
The last time a first-team All-Pro didn’t 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.
AP Coach of the Year
Kevin O’Connell beat out Dan Campbell for AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Minnesota Vikings to 14 wins with quarterback Sam Darnold.
The Vikings, widely picked to finish last in the NFC North, ended up playing for a division title and the conference’s No. 1 seed in the final game of the regular season. They lost to the Lions and then were knocked out of the playoffs by the Rams.
“I put a lot of thought into this season. I thought it had a chance to be a special team,” said O’Connell, who was presented by Bill Belichick, the coach who drafted him in the third round in 2008. “It really wasn’t about that. It was more my belief in our organization and my belief in our coaches and our players to come together and just try to win one football game.
“It’s a great example of unique people and unique things being able to come together and find a way to try to have unique results.”
O’Connell got 25 first-place votes, 18 seconds and seven thirds, appearing on all 50 ballots.
Campbell, who guided Detroit to a franchise-record 15 wins, got 19 first-place votes to finish second. Kansas City’s Andy Reid (4), Denver’s Sean Payton (1) and Washington’s Dan Quinn (1) also received first-place votes.
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse was an overwhelming choice for AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
“Hard work can take you anywhere,” Verse said. “You don’t have to be the biggest, the strongest, the fastest. As long as you work hard, you can overcome anything. So, it’s just a testament to that.”
Verse had 4 1/2 sacks and led all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He also had 11 tackles for loss. Verse got 37 first-place votes, well ahead of Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who received nine.
Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske, Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still, Texans safety Calen Bullock and Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil each got one apiece.
AP Comeback Player of the Year
Joe Burrow took the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after returning from wrist surgery in 2023 to lead the NFL with 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdown passes.
Burrow played all 17 games for the Bengals (9-8) after missing seven due to injuries the previous season. He received 31 first-place votes and finished far ahead of Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (3).
Vikings QB Sam Darnold (8), Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (2) also got first-place votes.
AP Offensive Player of the Year
Saquon Barkley ran away with the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award after rushing for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history, in his first season with the Eagles.
Barkley sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he was 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record but he has 442 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs.
Barkley needs 30 yards rushing in the Super Bowl to set the all-time single-season record, including the playoffs. Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis had 2,476 yards rushing in 19 regular season and playoff games in 1998 for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.
Barkley received 35 of 50 first-place votes.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson received 12 first-place votes and teammate Derrick Henry got one. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Bills QB Josh Allen also received one first-place vote each.
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase finished third in the voting despite no first-place votes. Chase, a unanimous selection for All-Pro, won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs.
AP Defensive Player of the Year
Patrick Surtain II became the seventh cornerback to win the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Denver Broncos’ All-Pro allowed just 37 receptions, had four interceptions and opposing quarterbacks had a 61.1 passer rating throwing against him.
Surtain received 26 first-place votes, beating out Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (11) and Browns edge Myles Garrett (5).
“When I’m holding my side of the field down, that’s where I become most valuable to the team,” Surtain said. “That’s what I did all year. ... That’s what I came to do, is lock down my side of the field.”
Steelers edge T.J. Watt (3), Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (2), Lions safety Kerby Joseph (1) and Vikings edge rushers Andrew Van Ginkel (1) and Jonathan Greenard (1) also received first-place votes.
Stephon Gilmore was the last cornerback to win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. Charles Woodson, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Lester Hayes and Mel Blount previously won it.
AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
Jayden Daniels was a near-unanimous choice for AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after helping the Washington Commanders win 12 games.
The Pro Bowl quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes with the other going to Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.
“It’s just nothing but hard work, and just preparation,” Daniels said, alluding to the jump he made in his final season at LSU, when he won the Heisman Trophy. “If you lock in for one year, your life will change. I kind of did that.”
Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick, threw for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs and posted a 100.1 rating. He also ran for 891 yards and six scores. Daniels led the Commanders to a pair of road playoff wins before losing to the Eagles in the NFC championship game.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix finished third in the voting, Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was fourth and Giants wideout Malik Nabers placed fifth.
AP Assistant Coach of the Year
Ben Johnson was a clear choice for the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, receiving 29 first-place votes.
Johnson, who was the Lions offensive coordinator, led a group that was first in scoring (33.22 points per game) and second in yards (409.5). He was hired to coach the Chicago Bears after Detroit lost in the playoffs.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores got three first-place votes and finished second in the voting. Former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who was hired to coach the New York Jets, received six first-place votes and came in third.
A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.
