Josh Allen has been named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024 season.
It is the first time the Buffalo Bills quarterback has won the award, with the 27-year-old being selected ahead of last year’s winner Lamar Jackson.
Allen has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since being selected with the seventh overall draft pick in 2018 and has previously been runner-up twice, in 2020 and 2022.
“I feel like my team-mates wanted this more for me than I did,” said Allen. “I’m very honoured.”
Allen had been favourite to win the award, with his closest rival being Baltimore Ravens quarterback Jackson, who was named MVP for a second time last season.
A true dual-threat quarterback, Allen registered 28 touchdown passes and 12 rushing touchdowns this season.
He became the first quarterback to score multiple rushing and passing touchdowns in back-to-back games, and the first to claim a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.
The biggest change in his game, though, has been that he has matured as a leader and protected the ball better.
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.
For the fourth time in five years, the Bills’ post-season run was halted by the Kansas City Chiefs, who won the AFC Championship game to reach Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, where the NFL’s annual awards ceremony took place on Thursday.
How does the NFL MVP voting work?
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 award as well. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for him and his game.”
Panel members used to select just one player but since the 2022 season they have selected their top five players, with a sliding scale of points.
Allen earned 27 first-place votes towards his total of 383 points, while Jackson had 23 towards 362.
Who won the NFL’s main awards for 2024 season?
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was named Comeback Player of the Year for the second time having led the league for passing yards and touchdowns after recovering from the second serious injury of his career.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had 2,005 rushing yards – putting him eighth on the all-time list – and hopes to stop Kansas City winning their successive Super Bowl on Sunday.
Washington’s Jayden Daniels won the Offensive Rookie award having almost become the first rookie to reach the Super Bowl as starting quarterback.
The Minnesota Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell was names Coach of the Year. He lost his starting quarterback to injury in the off-season but helped back-up Sam Darnold come in and lead the team to a 14-3 record.
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Most Valuable Player – Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills quarterback)
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Offensive Player of the Year – Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles running back)
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Defensive Player of the Year – Patrick Surtain (Denver Broncos cornerback)
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Offensive Rookie of the Year – Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders quarterback)
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Defensive Rookie of the Year – Jared Verse (Los Angeles Rams linebacker)
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Comeback Player of the Year – Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals quarterback)
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Coach of the Year – Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings)
