Five players have been named as finalists for The Associated Press 2022 NFL MVP award. Of those five players, three still remain in contention to win the Lombardi Trophy.
The Associated Press 2022 NFL MVP Award Finalists
Josh Allen, Justin Jefferson, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts were announced as the five finalist for the 2022 NFL MVP award. It’s no surprise that the list consists of mostly quarterbacks. The last non-quarterback to win the award was Adrian Peterson back in 2012. Jefferson is hoping he can join his fellow Viking and break the decade-long streak.
Let’s take a closer look at how each player and their team performed this season.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB
In 2022, Allen completed 63.3% of his passes, threw for 4,283 yards, 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Being a dual-threat QB, Allen also rushed for 762 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns. His efforts in both the passing and ground game showed that he is worthy of being a 2022 NFL MVP award finalist.
Buffalo finished the season 13-3 and lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings WR
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No wide receiver in the history of the NFL has ever won the MVP award, however, Jefferson certain made a case for why he should be the first. In 2022, Jefferson led the league in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809). His 1,809 yards was the sixth most all-time in a single season, and he also broke the Vikings franchise record held by Randy Moss (1,632).
The Vikings finished the regular-season 14-3, winning the NFC North for the first time since 2017. However, they were eliminated by the New York Giants in the wild card round of the playoffs.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals QB
This season, Joe Burrow completed 68.3% of his passes, threw for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Burrow is mobile, but he doesn’t pile up rushing yards like some of the other quarterbacks around the league. But he still rushed for 257 yards and five touchdowns. Despite his impressive season, it will be tough to beat out other candidates for the 2022 NFL MVP award.
The Bengals gave fans a scare after their 0-2 start and 2-3 record through five games. But they found their rhythm when it mattered most. Cincinnati finished the regular season 12-4 and won the AFC North for the second year in a row. They will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference championship game.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles QB
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had his breakout season in 2022. In the 15 games he played this season, he threw for 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions. His rushing stats were also impressive, as he ran for 760 yards. His rushing touchdowns were off the charts for a QB, scoring 13 times on the ground, placing him tied for second in the NFL. Will his combined rushing and passing efforts be enough to win the 2022 NFL MVP award?
Philadelphia finished the regular season 14-3 and earned the No.1 seed in the NFC. They are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in the conference championship game.
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs QB
It’s no surprise that Patrick Mahomes had another outstanding season. In 2022, he threw for a league high 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns while completing 67.1% of his passes. This was Mahomes’ second 5,000 yard season. The other occasion was in 2018, and he went on to win his first MVP award that year. He is the clear front-runner to win the 2022 NFL MVP trophy.
The Kansas City Chiefs finished 14-3 and earned the No.1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Mahomes will take on fellow 2022 NFL MVP candidate Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game on Sunday.
Who do you think should win the 2022 NFL MVP award? Did anyone get snubbed?
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