(Photo: NFL.com)
1. Most Valuable Player: Lamar Jackson– I know he’d rather be playing this weekend. His team was certainly good enough to get to the Super Bowl and they were able to be successful because of him. First, it was great to have Lamar on the field and healthy once again. You see the difference he makes when he is on the field compared to when he isn’t. With him, the Ravens average between 26-28 points per game and without him, that point average is cut in half. This was the one year where this award was truly up in the air and I say that because we usually have an idea on who has the award locked up. Lamar sealed this up with a dominating performance over the Miami Dolphins in week 17 which clinched the number one seed in the AFC for the Ravens. Lamar also helped the Ravens win their first division title since 2019 and guess who won MVP back then? The man who will win it again tonight.
2. Offensive Rookie of the Year: C.J. Stroud– This is a no brainer, but I will say Puka Nacua deserves some love for the year he put together for the Los Angeles Rams. From following C.J. during his college days at Ohio State to his first year in the NFL, nothing changed to me. He’s still that same confident Quarterback that leads by example. I saw him do this in Columbus and he did the same in Houston. Each week, we were all in awe of what he was doing. C.J. helped turn a three-win team a season ago into a playoff team and the AFC South division champions. C.J. also became the youngest player ever to win a playoff game last month when the Texans defeated the Cleveland Browns. I can’t wait to see him grow even more as a Quarterback and I truly hope he shatters the stereotype that Ohio State Quarterbacks don’t last in the NFL.
3. Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jalen Carter– Both Will Anderson and Devon Witherspoon had tremendous seasons this year. However, we can’t forget about Jalen and what he did in Philadelphia this season. On an Eagles defense that clearly wasn’t the same compared to last year, Jalen was the only shining point this year and has already become one of the young and best Defensive Tackles in the game today. Jalen finished his first season with 20 solo tackles and six sacks. His sack total was the third-most on the Eagles this season despite his low snap count.
4. Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey– At one time, Tyreek Hill appeared to have this award all but sealed and delivered with his name on it. This award always appears to go to a player who’s more than deserving of the Most Valuable Player award. Believe it or not, only two Quarterbacks have won the award in the last seven years (Matt Ryan and Cam Newton). In the last two seasons, Justin Jefferson and Cooper Kupp won this award. This year, CMC has this all but locked up. Christian had a legitimate case to win MVP. He is the closest thing I’ve seen to LaDainian Tomlinson and I say that because their skillsets are so similar to one another. Christian was the bellcow for this 49ers offense and finished the year with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and accounted for 21 total touchdowns. What a year.
5. Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett- Okay, this can go either way. If you were to say T.J. Watt, I wouldn’t be mad at your reasoning and opinion along with him winning the award. I love T.J. Watt, but this year, I’m picking Myles to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award. Myles was truly the catalyst for the best statistical defenses in the league this season. He impacted the game in several ways, not just sacks although he finished his 2023 campaign with 14 sacks which was tied for seventh-most in the NFL. Myles also posted 89 total pressures and 30 Quarterback hits along with ranking second in pass-rush win rate at 30 percent despite being double teamed on 29 percent of his attempts. Wherever the Browns lined him up, he found a way to make the best play possible. This will be a well deserved honor for one of the best in the business.I have a feeling this is going to be the most controversial award of the night. I could really make a case for both men, but only one can win the award
6. Coach of the Year: Kevin Stefanski– I can make a serious case for Dan Campbell and what he did with the Detroit Lions this year. After all, he did just lead them to their first NFC North division title since each division realigned and then, there’s also what DeMeco Ryans did with the Houston Texans in his first season. A division title, a ten-win season and playoff win in his rookie year as a Head Coach. Kevin Stefanski won this award in 2020 and he will take it again for the second time in his career. He lost Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson to season ending injuries and still found a way to guide his team to the playoffs and got there for the second time in four seasons. Coach also had to deal with more than losing his best offensive player and Quarterback. Amari Cooper was banged up for most of the year and the Browns also played most of the year with second and third stringers on the Offensive Line. Kevin helped lead the Browns to the five seed in the AFC playoffs and the fact he was able to clinch a winning season without key guys truly speaks volumes.
7. Comeback Player of the Year: Baker Mayfield– This is no disrespect to Damar Hamlin. Just as everyone else, I’m happy that he’s still here with us after all he’s endured, but he barely played this year and why reward someone who hardly saw the field? Baker on the other hand put together the best year of his career in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In a year becoming the starting Quarterback after Tom Brady, Baker helped lead the Buccaneers to a division title nobody saw coming. Watching him closely this year, I saw a football player who not only looked comfortable, but he appeared to be having fun and I loved every second of it. This will be well deserved.
