Josh Allen pulls off sweep, winners, MVP
Bills’ Josh Allen edges Ravens’ Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been named the 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player, edging out Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in a tightly contested race.
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen may finally be able to drop the baggage he’s been carrying for years.
You know the baggage I’m talking about.
It’s the baggage Allen has carried since he was an unheralded small-town athlete who was overlooked by big-time colleges.
It could be the baggage Allen has been hauling around since he was the raw draft prospect who experts dismissed as unlikely to make it the in the NFL.
Finally, it could be the baggage that Allen has dealt with since before the start of the 2024 season, when he was voted the most overrated and the biggest trash-talking quarterback in ESPN polls.
All of that baggage was lifted off Allen’s shoulders Thursday night when the Buffalo Bills quarterback swept all three awards that he was a finalist for, including MVP, at the NFL Honors ceremony in New Orleans.
A lesser Josh Allen would have used this moment to take a shot at his legion of detractors. Instead, Buffalo’s Josh Allen, our Josh Allen, kept the moment classy.
The following are updates from NFL Honors ceremony:
- Most Valuable Player: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
- Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
- Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
- Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jared Verse, OLB, Los Angeles Rams
- Comeback Player of the Year: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- Coach of the Year: Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
- Assistant Coach of the Year: Ben Johnson, OC, Detroit Lions
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year: Jacksonville Jaguars: Arik Armstead
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025: Eric Allen, cornerback, 1988-2001; Jared Allen, defensive end, 2004-2015; Antonio Gates, tight end, 2003-2018; Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver, 1988-1994
- FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Year: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills and Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
- Salute to Service Award presented by USAA: George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
- Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award: Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and will win the award
- Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
- NFL Fan of the Year: Detroit Lions, Megan Stefanski
- NFL FLAG Players of the Year award: Josie Clayton and Daniel Berry
Josh Allen defeated Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. The Buffalo Bills quarterback did it again, this time beating his Baltimore Ravens counterpart for the 2024 Most Valuable Player award.
Allen and Jackson were the favorites for MVP, which was awarded Thursday night at the NFL Honors show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. Jackson has won MVP twice before in for his 2019 and 2023 seasons.
The other finalists were Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff and Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow.
Allen also won FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Year and Art Rooney Sportsmanship awards.
Josh Allen picked up his second award of the night when he shared this award with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
It was remarkable change of fortune for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who was voted the top trash-talking quarterback in the NFL during in a preseason poll of players by ESPN.
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins showed he doesn’t just have the moves on the playing field at Thursday’s NFL Honors ceremony in New Orleans.
- Eric Allen, 1988-2001
- Jared Allen, DE, 2004-2015
- Antonio Gates, TE, 2003-2018
- Sterling Sharpe, WR, 1988-1994
For a second straight year, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin lost out in the NFL’s Comeback Player of Year award.
Hamlin lost this year to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. He is two years removed from suffering a cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game in January 2023.
Hamlin rehabbed and returned to make the team in 2023, playing in five games with two tackles. The recovery alone seemed to solidify the Comeback Player of the Year honor but Hamlin was the runner-up in 2023 to then-Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco despite garnering the most first-place votes.
Saquon Barkley was the ninth running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. It led to his first Offensive Player of the Year Award. Barkely finished the regular season with 2,005 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
Surtain II is the first defensive back to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award since New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore in 2019.
He tied a career-high with four interceptions and only allowed 38 completions for 326 yards in coverage. Surtain’s PFF coverage grade was the best in the NFL for a cornerback in 2024.
Jayden Daniels had one of the best rookie years in NFL history. He finished with 25 passing touchdowns, 3,568 passing yards, 891 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Daniels led Washington to the NFC Championship Game and set rookie quarterback records in the playoffs for passing yards, passing touchdowns and rushing yards.
In his opening monologue, celebrity Snoop Dog singled out Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
“Hey Josh, damn, the Patrick Mahomes curse.
“But don’t worry, Josh. I know some people that know some people who got the hookup with the men in stripes. So holla’ at me, and I’ll take care of you.”
Despite the Buffalo Bills tweet earlier Thursday, Dion Dawkins made it to New Orleans for Thursday night’s NFL Honors awards ceremony.
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was named Assistant Coach of the Year. Johnson beat out Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady was one of the finalists for this award.
Brady mustered two first-place votes according to reporter Ari Meirov.
How to watch NFL Honors: Time, TV channel, streaming
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 6
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- TV: FOX and NFL Network
- Location: Saenger Theatre, New Orleans
How to stream NFL Honors
NFL Honors will be broadcast from 9 to 11 p.m. on FOX and NFL Network and stream on NFL+. The red carpet show airs at 8 p.m. on NFL Network. The NFL Honors show can be streamed on Fubo, Tubi, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Fox Sports App, and NFL+.
Who is hosting NFL Honors?
Snoop Dogg will host NFL Honors at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans.
Which awards will be announced at NFL Honors?
- AP Most Valuable Player
- AP Coach of the Year
- AP Comeback Player of the Year
- AP Offensive Player of the Year
- AP Defensive Player of the Year
- AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
- AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
- NFL Inspire Change Tribute
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025
- FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Year
- Salute to Service Award
- NFL Latino Youth Honors
- Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
- Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
- AP Assistant Coach of the Year
- NFL Fan of the Year
- NFL FLAG Players of the Year award
Full list of NFL Honors nominees and finalists
Most Valuable Player
- Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
- Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Offensive Player of the Year
- Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
- Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive Player of the Year
- Zach Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
- Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals
- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
- T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
- Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
- Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
- Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
- Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Braden Fiske, DL, Los Angeles Rams
- Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Chop Robinson, OLB, Miami Dolphins
- Jared Verse, OLB, Los Angeles Rams
Comeback Player of the Year
- Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
- Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots,
- Damar Hamlin, S, Buffalo Bills
- Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Coach of the Year
- Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
- Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
- Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
- Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
- Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Assistant Coach of the Year
- Joe Brady, OC, Buffalo Bills
- Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota Vikings
- Aaron Glenn, DC, Detroit Lions
- Ben Johnson, OC, Detroit Lions
- Vic Fangio, DC, Philadelphia Eagles
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award honors a player who has had a significant positive impact on the community.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be revealed at NFL Honors. The NFL announced 15 modern-era finalists for the Class of 2025 in December:
- Eric Allen, cornerback, 1988-2001
- Jared Allen, defensive end, 2004-2015
- Willie Anderson, tackle, 1996-2008
- Jahri Evans, guard, 2006-2017
- Antonio Gates, tight end, 2003-2018
- Torry Holt, wide receiver, 1999-2009
- Luke Kuechly, linebacker, 2012-2019
- Eli Manning, quarterback, 2004-2019
- Steve Smith Sr., wide receiver, 2001-2016
- Terrell Suggs, outside linebacker/defensive end, 2003-2019
- Fred Taylor, running back, 1998-2010
- Adam Vinatieri, kicker, 1996-2019
- Reggie Wayne, wide receiver, 2001-2014
- Darren Woodson, safety, 1993-2003
- Marshal Yanda, guard/tackle, 2007-2019
FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Year
- Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
- Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
- Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Salute to Service Award presented by USAA
- Morgan Fox, DE, Los Angeles Chargers
- Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
- George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
- Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals
- Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
- Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers
- Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
- Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
- Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
- Leonard Williams, Seattle Seahawks
Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and will win the award.
Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
Nominees not announced
NFL Fan of the Year
Each team nominates a Fan of the Year. The fans are gifted a trip to the Super Bowl.
- Arizona Cardinals: Jay Hastings
- Atlanta Falcons: Tripp Warrick
- Baltimore Ravens: Cindy Layton
- Buffalo Bills: The Chefs – Richard “Poo” Peterson and Derrick “Norm” Norman
- Carolina Panthers: David McClelland
- Chicago Bears: Mackenzie Currans
- Cincinnati Bengals: Jeremy Conley “Bengals Captain” and Jessica Conley “Who Bae”
- Cleveland Browns: Lawrence Schmitz
- Dallas Cowboys: Amanda Foster
- Denver Broncos: Shelly Jenks
- Detroit Lions: Megan Stefanski
- Green Bay Packers: David Lucero
- Houston Texans: Pati Cream
- Indianapolis Colts: Seth Irskens
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Melissa Fullmore
- Kansas City Chiefs: Tom Masterson
- Las Vegas Raiders: Jena Magallanes
- Los Angeles Chargers: James Ebo
- Los Angeles Rams: Gary Young
- Miami Dolphins: Lisa Siegel
- Minnesota Vikings: Betsy Fine
- New England Patriots: Dan Sweeney
- New Orleans Saints: Jonathan Roberts
- New York Giants: Kyle Searfoss
- New York Jets: Joseph Abramski
- Philadelphia Eagles: Frank Crinite
- Pittsford Steelers: Taylor Sinnott
- San Francisco 49ers: Sofia Villalpando
- Seattle Seahawks: Terri Fletcher
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Matt Algeri
- Tennessee Titans: Adam McMillan
- Washington Commanders: Dale McCord
NFL Inspire Change Tribute
Each NFL team recognizes a person who has made a difference in the community in one of four focus areas: education, economic advancement, policy-community relations, and criminal justice reform. Each 2024 changemaker receives a $10,000 donation toward a nonprofit.
NFL Latino Youth Honors presented by P&G
- Joel Cordoba, Plainfield, NJ
- Cecilia Beauchamp, New York, NY
- Paula Nicole Cruz, Calexico, CA
- Lucas Carranza, Charlotte, NC
- Edson Pacheco, Painesville, OH
- Mariano Talamantez, Racine, WI
- Sophie Guitron, Redondo Beach, CA
- Paola Cruz-Ramos, Crescent City, FL
NFL FLAG Players of the Year award
Female finalists
- Adeline Chilek
- Josie Clayton
- Sarah Colchamiro
- Krista Quinn
- Serenity Simon
Male finalists
- Daniel Berry
- Ryan Gist Jr.
- Alex Kramer
- Gavin Otto
- Andrew Sitar
You can contact Ryan Miller at rcmiller@gannett.com
