Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs added to his trophy case just days before Super Bowl 57.
At Thursday’s NFL Honors, Mahomes was named the 2022 NFL MVP. The Chiefs quarterback has won the award twice before, most recently in 2018.
Mahomes received the award after leading the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in the regular season, becoming the only quarterback this season to surpass 5,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns. His 308.8 passing yards per game also set an NFL record. During the regular season, the Chiefs led the NFL in total offence, passing, and scoring with Mahomes at the helm.
The Chiefs (14-3) won their seventh consecutive AFC West title, tying them for the second-longest streak in NFL history, and earned the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
This year, the 27-year-old quarterback was named first-team All-Pro for the second time and was invited to his fifth Pro Bowl.
Mahomes is in his fifth season as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, and he has led the team to five straight AFC championship games at home and three Super Bowl appearances, including Super Bowl 57 on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.
“We all know he’s a straight warrior. “He’s our leader, and we follow him,” Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown said following the team’s AFC championship victory. “He’s the best in the world at what he does.”
Mahomes is only the tenth quarterback in NFL history to have won multiple MVP awards.
Mahomes was selected by the Chiefs in the 10th round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Texas Tech. In 2018, he was named the team’s full-time starter. Mahomes has led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns since 2018, amassing a 64-16 career regular-season record.
“I want to thank God for giving me this platform and putting so many amazing people around me to help support this dream I’ve had since I was a little kid. None of this would be possible without Him,” Mahomes said on video before thanking his family. “I would not be standing here today without the Chiefs organisation, Clark Hunt, Brett Veach, Andy Reid, the staff, and most importantly, my teammates. Every day, we give everything we have to go for the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl. Let’s keep going for that dream this weekend.”
Justin Jefferson, wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, was named offensive player of the year.
Jefferson broke Hall of Famer Randy Moss’ single-season receiving record for the Minnesota Vikings. The standout wide receiver had 128 catches, 1,809 yards receiving, and 8 touchdowns. In 2022, he led the NFL in both catches and receiving yards.
San Francisco 49ers defensive end named Defensive Player of the Year Mr. Nick Bosa
Bosa was an important cog in the 49ers’ No. 1 total defence and top scoring defence. This season, he had a league-high 18.5 sacks. He was the first 49er to lead the NFL in sacks since the statistic was introduced. In addition, he had 51 tackles and 19 tackles for loss.
“It’s incredible. Just entire lives of grinding and ups and downs, and now you’re here, “Bosa stated. “It’s time to look back and enjoy it for a while.”
Offensive Rookie of the Year – New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson Wilson set franchise records with 83 receptions and 1,103 receiving yards this season. The Ohio State product is the team’s first rookie award winner since the merger.
“This is extremely important. It’s something no one can ever take away from me “Wilson stated. “I put in a lot of effort to get to this point, and seeing it come to fruition is amazing.”
Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
In his first season, the No. 4 overall pick had 75 tackles and two interceptions. His 20 pass deflections were the most in the NFL. He is the fifth Jets player to receive the honour.
“I was happier for Garrett (Wilson),” Gardner said after both Jets rookies received awards. “It’s truly a blessing.”
Comeback Player of the Year – Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith Smith was named Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday. Smith set career highs in passing yards (4282) and touchdown passes (four) (30). He also had a league-leading completion percentage of 69.8 percent.
Smith’s outstanding season earned him his first Pro Bowl invitation.
Coach of the Year – Brian Daboll of the New York Giants
In his first season in New York, Daboll was instrumental in turning around the Giants. He led the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2016 with a 9-7-1 record.
Daboll was named Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020 while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. He is the first person to be named both Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year.
Assistant Coach of the Year – DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers Ryans was in charge of the 49ers’ stingy defence. With Ryans at the helm, San Francisco had the NFL’s best total defence and scoring defence. His efforts as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers defence earned him a job with the Houston Texans.
Man of the Year – Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott Prescott is the fourth Cowboys player to be named Walter Payton Man of the Year, the NFL’s highest honour. The award is given to an NFL player for outstanding community service and on-field performance.
Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish foundation focuses on colon cancer research, mental health, and suicide prevention, as well as bridging the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve and assisting those facing life-altering challenges.
