NFL writers across the country share reasons why Patrick Mahomes should win MVP award
Bettors who were bullish on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes were rewarded for their faith.
Before the season, the over/under numbers for Mahomes included 4,649.5 passing yards and 34.5 touchdown passes. Mahomes eclipsed both totals by the Chiefs’ 15th game of the season.
Mahomes finished with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes, and both were league-bests. Not bad considering Mahomes and the Chiefs were supposed to take a step back without receiver Tyreek Hill in a “rebuilt” AFC West. Well, that’s what the pundits thought.
It was another sensational season for Mahomes and the Chiefs, who finished with a 14-3 record, tied for the best in the NFL.
That’s why Mahomes should hear his name called when the NFL MVP trophy is awarded in February. NFL writers across the country have written about why Mahomes deserves the MVP award again.
Here’s what they were saying.
Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab shared his final regular-season power rankings and this was the headline: “Chiefs are becoming old hat, but their budding dynasty is impressive.”
This is part of what Schwab wrote: “This season was a testament to the greatness of head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes. We got bored with Mahomes, too, and did it during the season. People touted Jalen Hurts as the MVP, even though that never made complete sense. There isn’t a reasonable argument that the Chiefs would be better with Hurts, or that the Eagles would be worse with Mahomes. Everyone understands Mahomes is the best in the NFL. It’s just dull to keep saying it. Mahomes set an NFL record this season for most total yardage, including passing, rushing and receiving, and he did so after one of the five best receivers in the NFL was traded to Miami. That’s impressive.”
Eight Sports Illustrated writers picked postseason NFL awards and Mahomes received seven first-place votes for MVP.
This is from their story: “Patrick Mahomes made a convincing argument for himself to be MVP down the stretch, finishing the year with a league-leading 5,250 yards and league-high 41 touchdown passes as the Chiefs took home the AFC’s top seed. He earned first-place votes on seven of our eight ballots for his efforts.”
NBC Sports’ Peter King listed three reasons why Mahomes deserves the MVP award.
This is the No. 1 reason, from Monday’s column: “He piloted his team to the league’s best record (tied with Philly), 14-3, without Tyreek Hill. The five new wideouts he and the KC coaches had to train from scratch this year caught 171 balls for 2,356 yards — which is 45 percent of his league-leading yardage total. The wideouts he lost this year, including Hill, totaled 2,071 yards last year. (And when I say train from scratch, I mean Mahomes took a lot of that on his own shoulders, working with them individually and collectively through the off-season and for longer hours than normal in training camp.)“
NFL.com asked 26 executives, including 15 general managers, to pick the NFL award winners. Mahomes was the runaway choice for MVP with 16 votes.
“The games when he is really on it, they’re unbeatable. And it’s him,” an AFC executive was quoted as saying in the story. “You could argue Hurts and (Buffalo QB Josh) Allen, but whatever receivers they roll into K.C., he makes it work.”
Fox Sports’ NFL reporters and analysts were polled for league awards, and Mahomes was the pick for MVP.
“Mahomes has proven he can still put up big numbers and lead the Chiefs to important victories without the services of Tyreek Hill,” reporter Eric D. Williams wrote . Mahomes led the league in passing yards (5,250) and passing touchdowns (41). Mahomes has also spread the ball around incredibly well, completing passes to 15 different receivers this season.”
Pro Football Focus also chose the NFL award winners, and Mahomes was the MVP choice.
Sam Monson wrote: “The MVP race has been a battle all season long, but there has been one constant. First, it was Josh Allen versus Patrick Mahomes. Then, it was Tua Tagovailoa versus Mahomes, Jalen Hurts versus Mahomes or even Joe Burrow versus Mahomes. But when one name is constant all the way through the season, that guy is the MVP.”
Mahomes received 127 points in the Athletic’s voting for MVP by its NFL writers for league awards, well ahead of Hurts (55).
“No need to overthink it,” senior NFL editor Jimmy Durkin wrote. “He’s the best player in the NFL — still — and just delivered another incredible season despite the Chiefs trading away his best receiver. The award is his.”
