LAS VEGAS — Lamar Jackson was a near-unanimous choice for his second AP NFL Most Valuable Player award announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night.
Baltimore’s All-Pro quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of voters that includes media members who regularly cover the NFL, former players and coaches.
Jackson led the Ravens (14-5) to the NFL’s best record in the regular season, but they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The 27-year-old Jackson is the fourth player to win his second MVP before turning 28, joining Patrick Mahomes (27), Brett Favre (27) and Jim Brown (22).
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen got the other first-place vote and finished fifth overall in voting. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was second with 152 points. Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers came in third with 147 points and teammate Brock Purdy was fourth with 97.
Jackson threw for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 821 yards and five scores while leading Baltimore to a record 10 wins over teams that finished with a winning record. He helped the Ravens rout Houston in the divisional round but struggled in a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC title game.
The 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was also announced, with first-time candidate Julius Peppers headlining a group with a distinctive defensive feel.
The star defensive end was joined by another elite pass rusher in Dwight Freeney and do-everything linebacker Patrick Willis in the modern era category. Prolific receiver Andre Johnson and dynamic returner Devin Hester also got voted into the Hall from the group of 15 finalists.
Two more defensive players got in on the senior category, with linebacker Randy Gradishar and defensive tackle Steve McMichael getting the needed 80% support from the panel. Former AFL receiver Art Powell and coach Buddy Parker fell short of the threshold and missed out.
The other awards included:
AP Comeback Player of the Year: Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco, who came off the couch to lead the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs, beat out Bills safety Damar Hamlin and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield for AP Comeback Player of the Year. He received 13 first-place votes, 26 second-place votes and eight thirds to finish with 151 points.
Flacco, the 39-year-old former Super Bowl MVP, was home in New Jersey with his family when Cleveland called him in November. He went 4-1 in five starts and passed for over 300 yards in four straight games with 13 touchdowns.
AP Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey ran away with the AP Offensive Player of the Year award with 39 of 50 first-place votes and earned 222 points, outpacing Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who received seven first-place votes and finished with 139 points.
McCaffrey, a unanimous choice for All-Pro, led the NFL with 1,459 yards rushing and had 14 rushing TDs for the NFC champion 49ers. He also had 564 yards receiving for seven scores. McCaffrey is the fourth running back to win the award in the last 10 years, joining Derrick Henry, Todd Gurley and DeMarco Murray.
AP Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett beat out T.J. Watt for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award as Cleveland’s All-Pro edge rusher received 23 first-place votes and 165 points to Watt’s 19 first-place votes and 140 points.
Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons finished third with 89 points, including seven first-place votes. Cornerback DaRon Bland, Parson’s teammate, got the other first-place vote and came in fifth behind Raiders edge Maxx Crosby.
Watt, who won the award in 2021, led the NFL with 19 sacks. But Garrett had the better all-around season for the NFL’s top-ranked defense. Despite constant double-teams, Garrett had 14 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and forced offensive coordinators to avoid his side of the field.
AP Coach of the Year: Kevin Stefanski
Kevin Stefanski edged DeMeco Ryans for AP Coach of the Year honors by one first-place vote.
Stefanski led the Cleveland Browns to their third playoff appearance since 1999 despite losing quarterback Deshaun Watson, star running back Nick Chubb and right tackle Jack Conklin to season-ending injuries and starting four QBs. Ryans helped the Houston Texans go from worst to first in the AFC South. The Texans routed the Browns 41-14 in a wild-card playoff game, but voting was completed before the postseason.
Stefanski and Ryans both earned 165 points in a weighted point system. But Stefanski had 21 first-place votes to Ryans’ 20. Stefanski had 18 second-place votes and six third-place votes. Ryans got 21 second-place votes and two thirds. First-place votes are worth five points, second-place votes are worth three and third-place votes are one.
Detroit’s Dan Campbell finished third. He got three first-place votes. San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan (3), Baltimore’s John Harbaugh (2) and the Rams’ Sean McVay (1) also got first-place votes.
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson Jr.
Will Anderson Jr. won the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award, outgaining both Jalen Carter and Kobie Turner by two first-place votes. The Texans’ defensive end received 16 first-place votes, 21 second and eight thirds for 151 points.
Carter, the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive tackle, and Turner, the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle, both had 14 first-place votes. Carter also had 14 seconds and ended up with 122 points. Turner had six second-place votes and seven thirds, finishing with 95 points.
Anderson had seven sacks, 67 pressures, 22 quarterback hits, 29 tackles, including 10 for a loss. He also had a blocked field goal on special teams.
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award in a landslide with 48 of 50 first-place votes with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua getting the other two.
Nacua set a rookie record with 105 receptions and 1,486 yards receiving yards. Lions tight end Sam LaPorta finished third.
Stroud helped Houston go from worst to first place in the AFC South and led the Texans to a playoff win in the wild-card round. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick, threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and had a passer rating of 100.8, third-best by a rookie.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
