Allen named NFL’s MVP for first time

Josh Allen has been named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024 season.

The 27-year-old was chosen ahead of Lamar Jackson, the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, for the first time in the previous year to receive the award.

Since being chosen with the seventh overall pick in 2018, Allen has previously finished second in the NFL draft in both 2020 and 2022.

“I feel like my team-mates wanted this more for me than I did”, said Allen. “I’m very honoured”.

A true dual-threat quarterback, Allen registered 28 touchdown passes and 12 rushing touchdowns this season.

He became the first quarterback to record a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown in the same game as the first quarterback to do so in back-to-back games.

However, his leadership skills and improved defense have been the biggest changes in his game.

Allen registered career-low figures for interceptions, sacks and fumbles, as he led Buffalo to a 13-4 record, reaching the play-offs for a sixth straight year.

Jackson was named the first-team All-Pro quarterback last month and the same panel of 50 broadcasters/journalists select the NFL MVP.

It was the first time since 1987 that the first-team All-Pro quarterback was not also named MVP.

“I was pretty surprised, given what we know about – typically – how the voting goes”, said Allen.

“Lamar was very deserving of this distinction.” He and his game needs my love and respect, not his.”

Panel members used to only pick one player, but they’ve since chosen their top five players using a sliding scale of points since the 2022 season.

Saquon Barkley, the running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, ran for 2,005 yards on Sunday, which would put him eighth on the all-time list.

Jayden Daniels, who almost became the first rookie to win a Super Bowl starting quarterback, won the offensive rookie award.

Kevin O’Connell, the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, was named Coach of the Year. In the off-season, he helped Sam Darnold return and start the team’s 14-3 record despite losing his starting quarterback to injury.