NFL Awards: Who is the NFL MVP?

After back-to-back NFL MVP wins from Aaron Rodgers, it's time for the new King to take his crown as the Most Valuable Player. We have had quite a few candidates over the course of the season who will not be in this top 3 list.

After a strong start, the 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson faded before ultimately missing the back end of the season. Micah Parsons was the latest Defensive Player talked up as a possibility to break the QB stranglehold on the award, but the Cowboys' defense stumbled towards the end of the season and his production tailed off.

Then we had Tyreek Hill and Justin Jefferson, would one of them beat Megatron's receiving record and be the first to top 2,000 receiving yards? By the end, neither of them were close. Once again, we have a list of quarterbacks.

Who is the 2022 NFL MVP?

3 Joe Burrow

Last year's Super Bowl runner-up started a little slow, but the Bengals' late charge to the AFC North title once again has him in the running but he's number 3 at a distance. He needed to ball out on Week 17 primetime vs. the Bills, but more important matters took precedence on that night.

Although Burrow is a highly entertaining quarterback to watch and his skills surpass his statistics, there is not one particular standout stat that sets him apart from the rest for the MVP award. He has good accuracy, but does not rank as the most accurate passer in the league. He can throw long plays, but not at the same frequency as other top quarterbacks. While he is a capable runner, many other quarterbacks excel in this aspect more.

Despite this, Burrow consistently leads his team to victories, which is ultimately what matters most in real football. However, this may not be enough to earn him individual awards.

2 Jalen Hurts

Has there ever been a bigger year 3 leap? Josh Allen's was impressive, but this seemed like something else. Yes, he has the best line in football and arguably the best 1,2 punches at receiver. However, Jalen delivered big time on the ground. Unfortunately, for him, missing a few weeks really harmed his chances at MVP. Had he been available for the last month and played well with the Eagles, finishing with 15 or 16 wins instead, he may have been undeniable.

Was this season a one-hit wonder? Will he take another step forward like Allen?

1 Patrick Mahomes

Ultimately, Mahomes is the only choice for MVP. Despite facing challenges such as replacing Tyreek Hill with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, his Chiefs still managed to secure the best record in the league. Mahomes led the league in both passing yards and touchdowns by significant margins, with no other player coming close to his numbers in either category.

Take away the statistics and watch him play and no one is close to him. Imagine what he would do behind the Eagles line with AJ Brown and Devonta catching balls perfectly placed in stride from him. The Chiefs have a fantastic scheme and one of the best offensive minds of all time in Andy Reid, but aside from Kelce, there is not one other player who is near All-Pro level on that side of the ball.

Bow down to Mahomes, aside from injury, all the records are in play to be broken during his career.