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Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jared Goff, and Saquon Barkley are finalists for the 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award.
The AP announced its 5 finalists on Thursday. The winner will be announced at the NFL Honors event on Feb. 6, the Thursday prior to Super Bowl LIX. Voting for the award was conducted prior to the start of the playoffs by a 50-person panel of journalists who cover the league.
Burrow, Jackson, and Barkley are also finalists for Offensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Burrow is in the mix for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.
The former LSU quarterback is the only finalist for the MVP award to not make the postseason. Cincinnati finished 9-8 to miss the playoffs. Though that certainly wasn’t a reflection on Burrow’s play. The fifth-year man led the NFL with a career-high 4,918 yards passing and posted a career-best 43 passing touchdowns. His interception rate was the lowest since his rookie season, and he also set a new career-high for passer rating.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards this season, the eighth-most in NFL history. He had a chance to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, but sat out the regular season’s final game in preparation for the playoffs. He ran for 119 yards in the Wild Card win over the Packers and then ran for 205 yards and 2 scores in a snowy win over the Rams to advance to the NFC Conference Championship.
Jackson is seeking his third NFL MVP award. He posted career-highs for passing yards (4,172), passing touchdowns (41), and passer rating this season while leading the Ravens to a 12-5 record and the divisional round of the postseason. Jackson also ran for 915 yards and 4 scores while earning a first-team All-Pro nod. Baltimore lost to Buffalo 27-25 last Sunday.
Goff threw for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns against 9 interceptions while leading Detroit to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Lions were eliminated by the Washington Commanders in a stunning divisional round upset.
Allen will lead the Bills against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday for a spot in the Super Bowl. He threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns this season — both of which were his lowest marks since the 2019 season — while adding 531 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
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Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
