There is one clear frontrunner for the Associated Press Most Valuable Player award.
But there is also a non-quarterback among the contenders.
Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, Buffalo’s Josh Allen, and Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson are the five finalists for this year’s MVP.
Mahomes, who was named PFT’s MVP earlier this month, is the frontrunner. As the quarterback for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, he received 49 of the 50 first-place votes for the AP’s All-Pro team. That list is often a good indication of what’s to come in MVP voting.
In his fifth season as a starter, Mahomes led the league with a career-high 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns. He also completed a career-high 67.1 percent of his passes and finished with a 105.2 passer rating.
Burrow had an outstanding third season, completing 68.3 percent of his passes for 4,475 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions — good for a 100.8 passer rating. He led Cincinnati to consecutive division titles for the first time since 1981 and 1982.
With Hurts in the starting lineup this season, the Eagles went 14-1. The quarterback passed for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns and six picks while also rushing for 760 yards with 13 touchdowns.
Allen and the Bills flamed out in the postseason, but the Bills still won the AFC East with the league’s No. 2 offense. He threw for 4,283 yards with 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, though he also had 13 fumbles with five lost in the regular season.
As a receiver, Jefferson clearly elevated the play of quarterback Kirk Cousins. In his third season, Jefferson finished the regular season with the league lead in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809). There was a time when it looked like Jefferson might break the single-season receiving yards record held by Calvin Johnson, but that did not end up happening.
The AP MVP will be awarded during NFL Honors on Feb. 9.