NFL award finalists: Lamar, Allen among 5 MVP contenders
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen headline the finalists for NFL MVP, the Associated Press revealed Thursday.
Dallas Cowboys passer Dak Prescott, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, and 49ers signal-caller Brock Purdy round out the finalists for the accolade.
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen | QB | Bills |
| Lamar Jackson | QB | Ravens |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | 49ers |
| Dak Prescott | QB | Cowboys |
| Brock Purdy | QB | 49ers |
Jackson is the favorite to take home his second career MVP after earning first-team All-Pro honors this campaign. The star quarterback led the Ravens to an NFL-best 13-4 regular-season record while throwing for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns. Jackson also racked up 821 yards and five scores on the ground.
Allen topped all quarterbacks with 44 total touchdowns (29 passing, 15 rushing), Prescott led the league with 36 passing scores, McCaffrey had a league-high 1,459 rushing yards, and Purdy produced the best overall passer rating of 113.0 (minimum five starts).
The AP also revealed the front-runners for seven other major awards. Award winners will be announced at the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 8.
Here's the list of finalists for the remaining AP awards:
Offensive Player of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Tyreek Hill | WR | Dolphins |
| CeeDee Lamb | WR | Cowboys |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | 49ers |
| Lamar Jackson | QB | Ravens |
| Dak Prescott | QB | Cowboys |
McCaffey, Jackson, and Prescott are also up for Offensive Player of the Year.
Star wideouts Tyreek Hill and CeeDee Lamb are the other candidates after topping the league in receiving yards (1,799) and catches (135), respectively.
Defensive Player of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| DaRon Bland | CB | Cowboys |
| Maxx Crosby | DE | Raiders |
| Myles Garrett | DE | Browns |
| Micah Parsons | LB | Cowboys |
| T.J. Watt | LB | Steelers |
Pass-rushers dominate the defensive award, with DaRon Bland the only non-edge player to earn a finalist spot after setting an NFL single-season record with five pick-6s.
T.J. Watt is looking for his second Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the league with 19 sacks. Maxx Crosby (14.5), Myles Garrett (14), and Micah Parsons (14) all finished in the top 10 in quarterback takedowns.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Jahmyr Gibbs | RB | Lions |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | Lions |
| Puka Nacua | WR | Rams |
| Bijan Robinson | RB | Falcons |
| C.J. Stroud | QB | Texans |
Defensive Rookie of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Will Anderson | DE | Texans |
| Jalen Carter | DT | Eagles |
| Joey Porter Jr. | CB | Steelers |
| Kobie Turner | DT | Rams |
| Devon Witherspoon | CB | Seahawks |
Coach of the Year
| Name | Team |
|---|---|
| Dan Campbell | Lions |
| John Harbaugh | Ravens |
| DeMeco Ryans | Texans |
| Kyle Shanahan | 49ers |
| Kevin Stefanski | Browns |
Assistant Coach of the Year
| Name | Role | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Johnson | OC | Lions |
| Mike Macdonald | DC | Ravens |
| Todd Monken | OC | Ravens |
| Jim Schwartz | DC | Browns |
| Bobby Slowik | OC | Texans |
Comeback Player of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Flacco | QB | Browns |
| Damar Hamlin | S | Bills |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | Buccaneers |
| Matthew Stafford | QB | Rams |
| Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Dolphins |