For the 12th straight year, the NFL will hand out annual awards prior to the Super Bowl, otherwise deemed as NFL Honors. This February 9th NFL Honors Awards will include awards such as: AP Most Valuable Player (MVP), AP Offensive Player of the Year, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, AP Defensive Player of Year (DPOY), AP Defensive Rookie of Year, and AP Comeback Player of the Year. Who will win these coveted titles? Here are my predictions:
AP Most Valuable Player of the Year Award
Candidates:
Josh Allen, Bills QB
Joe Burrow, Bengals QB
Jalen Hurts, Eagles QB
Justin Jefferson, Vikings WR
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs QB
Prediction : Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs QB
No disrespect to Justin Jefferson, but the NFL MVP award is known to be a quarterback award. Even with the stellar numbers Justin put up, he still fell short of Calvin Johnson's incredible feat in 2012 (1,964 yards), where he broke the NFL record for receiving yards. However, even then Calvin Johnson didn't win MVP, and he did that in one game less, 16 at the time. To put it in perspective it takes something more than miraculous to win the MVP outside of the quarterback position, and has been done twice in the last 20 years.
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Mahomes has been consistent down the stretch. If Hurts didn't get injured at the end of the season, we might be having a different conversation, but Mahomes led the NFL in passing yards with 5,250, and passing touchdowns with 41. Many counted Mahomes and the Chiefs out after they lost Tyreek Hill in the offseason, yet Mahomes threw for more passing yards in a season than he had done before, and led the Chiefs to a first round bye. This is a regular season award, and Mahomes is worthy of it.
AP Offensive Player of the Year Award
Candidates:
Tyreek Hill, Dolphins WR
Jalen Hurts, Eagles QB
Justin Jefferson, Vikings WR
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs QB
Prediction: Justin Jefferson, Vikings WR
This is Justin Jefferson's award for the taking. The third-year receiver out of LSU has been nothing short of spectacular all season long. At one point during the season, he was on pace to break Calvin Johnson's record, but fell just 155 yards short. Jefferson led the league in receptions with 128, and receiving yards with 1,809. An incredible talent, it is hard to find someone more deserving of this award than Jefferson.
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AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award
Candidates:
Brock Purdy, 49ers QB
Garret Wilson, Jets WR
Prediction: Garret Wilson, Jets WR
This one boils down to a few things. First, Brock Purdy has been incredible and there's no denying that. However, this is supposed to be a full season award, and he played a little less than half the regular season which is why I can't see him winning this one. Second, Kenneth Walker has had a great season, finishing with over 1,000 rushing yards, and 9 rushing touchdowns. He also ended the regular season with three straight games with 100+ rushing yards….but he also had 7 games with under 50 rushing yards, which is less than ideal.
All three candidates are honestly worthy of this award, but I have to go with Garret Wilson here. Wilson broke the rookie single season record for receiving yards by a New York Jet, and posted some spectacular numbers throughout the season. He is my pick.
AP Defensive Player of the Year Award
Candidates:
Nick Bosa, 49ers DE
Chris Jones, Chiefs DT
Micah Parsons, Cowboys LB
Prediction: Nick Bosa, 49ers DE
All three of these players were all over the field, but man, did Bosa have a season. Bosa led the league with a total of 18.5 sacks, 3 more than Jones, and five more than Parsons. He also played one less game than the two. Bosa contributed all over the field with two forced fumbles, which is why I think he's deserving of this award.
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AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Candidates:
Sauce Gardner, Jets CB
Aidan Hutchinson, Lions DE
Tariq Woolen, Seahawks CB
Prediction: Sauce Gardner, Jets CB
The Jets found their true corner in Sauce Gardner. This guy will be a force to reckon with for years to come. As a ROOKIE he led the league with pass deflections, with a total of 20, and allowed fewer than two receptions and less than 20 yards per game to receivers. All candidates stood out as defensive players, but this award has Gardner's name written all over it.
AP Comeback Player of the Year Award
Candidates:
Geno Smith, Seahawks QB
Saquon Barkley, Giants RB
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers RB
Prediction: Geno Smith, Seahawks QB
Let me start off by saying each of these players has had a spectacular season, whether it be Saquon's resurgence, Geno's resilience or McCaffrey's talent, each of these players are worth applauding for. Unfortunately, there is only one winner and…. It has to be Geno Smith. Since the conclusion of the 2014 NFL season, Smith had been a backup quarterback for the Giants, Chargers, and Seahawks. He had started in one more game all of 2015-2021 then he had in 2014 alone. However, with the sudden departure of Russell Wilson this past offseason, Smith was in line to start, and boy, did he impress. Not only did he break the single season record for passing yards by a Seattle quarterback with 4,282, but he also finished 4th in the league with 30 passing touchdowns, and led the Seahawks to the playoffs. Barkley had a spectacular season and should no doubt get a long-term contract similar to McCaffrey, who also had an incredible seasons after having battled injuries for the past few seasons, but Smith's resurgent season in a league where he hadn't started in a little under 10 years is noteworthy, and tops all other comebacks this year.
This season was a year to remember, as we were introduced to so many new NFL talents. While only a select few will be awarded annually, every player that takes the field is deserving of praise in their own way.
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* Originally published on February 9, 2023, by Nicholas Nathanson
