theScore's NFL Awards Roundtable: Most Valuable Player
The NFL Honors will be handed out on Feb. 6, but theScore's NFL Editors are making a case for the players whom they feel deserve to take home the hardware this season.
theScore's NFL Awards
- Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Offensive Player of the Year
- Defensive Player of the Year
- Most Valuable Player
- Coach of the Year
Most Valuable Player
Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
3,837 passing yards, 35 passing TDs
636 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs
Newton wasn't the front-runner for the MVP for entire season, with Tom Brady and Carson Palmer arguably having a better first half of the year than Newton. However, the Panthers quarterback caught fire down the stretch, dominating opponents with his arm and his legs, all with his trademark smile on his face. With few weapons at his disposal, Newton became the weapon, shouldering an incredible amount of offensive responsibility and never faltering. - Jack Browne
Despite a glaring lack of talent both on the offensive line and at wide receiver, Newton led the Panthers to a 15-1 regular-season mark. He may not be the league's top quarterback when it comes to his ability as a pure passer, but he was certainly the most valuable signal-caller throughout the year. Newton has now completed an impressive rise from raw talent to elite-level quarterback, and he's still just 26 years old. As the Panthers restock their offensive talent around him, the possibility that he'll only continue to improve should be a scary thought for the rest of the NFL. - Dan Wilkins
Maybe the best thing about Newton's season is the way the challenged antiquated (and often prejudiced) ideas about how a quarterback should act. "No Fun League" doesn't apply when Newton is on the field. - David P. Woods
Newton is a no-brainer for MVP after leading the Panthers to a near-perfect record and the top seed in the NFC. He put together the strongest statistical campaign of his career, throwing for a career-high 35 touchdowns against a career-low 10 interceptions and adding another 636 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He also oversaw the highest-scoring offense at 31.3 points per game. - Caitlyn Holroyd
Accounting for more touchdowns than any other player in the league this season was impressive, but Newton's value to the Panthers goes far beyond his ability to get his team into the end zone. Newton makes everyone around him better and his combination of talent and confidence helped propel the Panthers to a nearly perfect season. - Justin Boone
Newton is at the forefront of a revolution, bridging the gap between traditional pocket passers and mobile-first scramblers. With 10 rushing touchdowns, Newton is effectively the NFL's best goal-line back, and his bruising style of running wore down defenses. An omnipresent threat in both the run and passing game, Newton opened up plenty of avenues for a wide-receiver group largely bereft of talent, and by year's end, he can capture every individual and team award at the collegiate and professional level. - Arun Srinivasan
Throwing 35 touchdowns with a team that has no No. 1 receiving option is impressive. Adding 10 rushing touchdowns and several signature game-winning drives during the season cements his MVP status. - Joe Thomson