Although the season in the end fell in need of his expectations, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson nonetheless made historical past at Thursday night’s NFL Honors ceremony by profitable The Related Press’ NFL MVP award for a second time.
At 27, Jackson is the youngest two-time MVP because the merger, beating out Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes by simply over 9 months.
Jackson was the landslide winner, receiving 49 of the 50 first-place votes to fall one shy of one other unanimous choice. For the 2019 season, Jackson joined Tom Brady as the one gamers to get all 50 first-place votes for MVP.
“I wish to thank my group, the Baltimore Ravens, for lastly getting the deal achieved,” mentioned Jackson, who signed a five-year, $260 million contract 9 months in the past. “My offense [and] offensive line, I am unable to thank them sufficient for what they’ve achieved. I am not on the market blocking and catching the ball and doing all the pieces. It is a workforce factor for these awards.”
The opposite first-place vote for MVP this season went to Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen, who completed fifth within the voting.
Jackson, who misplaced to Mahomes and the Chiefs within the AFC Championship Recreation, is the ninth participant to win a number of MVP awards within the Tremendous Bowl period however is the one one to not win a Tremendous Bowl. The opposite gamers who’ve gained multiple MVP since 1967 are Peyton Manning (5), Aaron Rodgers (4), Tom Brady (three), Brett Favre (three), Mahomes (two), Joe Montana (two) and Steve Younger (two).
When Jackson gained MVP in 2019, he led the NFL in landing passes with 36 and set the single-season dashing document by a quarterback with 1,206 yards. This time, Jackson captured the award as a result of he was one of the best participant on the league’s most dominant workforce within the common season.
Along with setting profession highs with 3,678 passing yards and a 67.2% completion fee, he was the driving pressure for a Ravens workforce that completed with the NFL’s prime document at 13-4. He’s the third quarterback because the 1970 merger to win MVP with no 1,000-yard rusher or a 1,000-yard receiver, becoming a member of John Elway (1987) and Favre (1996).
However Jackson additionally went towards the grain. He completed eleventh with 24 landing passes and fifteenth in passing yards to change into the primary MVP to rank exterior the highest 10 in each classes.
Jackson separated himself from the opposite candidates by enjoying his greatest towards one of the best, recording 10 victories towards groups that completed with profitable information. That is probably the most by a quarterback in a single season since no less than 2000, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Data.
“It’s an honor simply to be among the many biggest of all time,” Jackson advised the Ravens web site. “To do stuff like that is unbelievable. I by no means thought I might be two-time MVP. If something, I believed I might be a Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback by now.
“I nonetheless have stuff to show to the naysayers. However I would like the naysayers to maintain going [and] preserve including gasoline to that fireplace for me to maintain being Lamar Jackson.”
Earlier Thursday night time, operating again Christian McCaffrey turned the primary San Francisco 49ers participant to win the AP’s Offensive Participant of the 12 months award since Jerry Rice did so in 1993. In his second season with San Francisco, McCaffrey led the NFL in each dashing yards (1,459) and whole yards from scrimmage (2,023) whereas scoring 21 touchdowns, which was tied for probably the most by non-quarterbacks.
McCaffrey is in search of to change into the sixth participant to win Offensive Participant of the 12 months and the Tremendous Bowl in the identical season.
“We bought yet one more,” mentioned McCaffrey, whose 49ers play the Chiefs on Sunday. “Let’s end it the fitting method.”
The Cleveland Browns celebrated one among their most profitable seasons since returning to the NFL 25 years in the past by profitable 4 awards, probably the most by any workforce.
The Defensive Participant of the 12 months award went to defensive finish Myles Garrett, who turned the primary Browns participant to obtain the honour. Garrett produced 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 4 compelled fumbles for the NFL’s top-ranked protection.
“To the town of Cleveland, this one’s for you,” Garrett mentioned, holding up his trophy. “We will deliver dwelling one thing larger subsequent time.”
The Browns’ Kevin Stefanski gained Coach of the 12 months by edging the Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans. Stefanski, who guided Cleveland to the postseason regardless of utilizing 5 completely different beginning quarterbacks, beat out Ryans by one first-place vote.
The Comeback Participant of the 12 months was quarterback Joe Flacco, who went from throwing to relations whereas out of the league for the primary 2½ months of the season to main the Browns to their first playoff look since 2020. A Tremendous Bowl MVP 11 years in the past, Flacco threw for 1,616 yards and 13 landing passes in 5 regular-season video games, profitable 4 of them.
Flacco edged the Buffalo Payments’ Damar Hamlin for the award by 11 factors. Hamlin returned this season after struggling cardiac arrest throughout a sport towards the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, 2023.
And first-year Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was named Assistant Coach of the 12 months as Cleveland allowed the fewest yards per sport (270.2) within the NFL since 2014 and the workforce’s fewest since 1957.
In the meantime, the Texans used two of the highest three draft picks to change into the fourth workforce in NFL historical past to comb the AP’s Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the 12 months awards. Quarterback C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 total choose in 2023, led the NFL with 273.9 passing yards per sport and have become the primary rookie to prime the league in touchdown-interception ratio (4.6). Defensive finish Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 choose, recorded seven sacks, probably the most ever by a Texans rookie.
The one different groups to comb these awards have been the 2022 New York Jets (WR Garrett Wilson, CB Sauce Gardner), the 2017 New Orleans Saints (RB Alvin Kamara, CB Marshon Lattimore) and the 1967 Detroit Lions (RB Mel Farr, CB Lem Barney).
The Walter Payton Man of the 12 months award went to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive deal with Cameron Heyward, whose initiatives fight childhood starvation and assist childhood literacy.
“There are such a lot of youngsters that wish to simply companion and other people to attach with,” Heyward mentioned. “We would not have the identical backgrounds, however I wish to be an advocate, I wish to proceed to provide again. I wish to make certain they perceive there are alternatives available.”
