Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been named the 2024 National Football League Most Valuable Player.
It was widely considered to be an incredibly tight battle between Allen and his fellow front runners: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley,
Other nominees included Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
It wasn’t an entirely empty-handed night for two of the nominees. Barkley took home the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award while Burrow won Comeback Player of the Year.
But after a season where Allen almost single-handedly powered the Bills to the AFC Championship – in a campaign where they were expected to struggle after the loss of many offensive weapons – the 28-year-old California native has taken the league’s top honor for the first time.
In his acceptance speech, Allen thanked his teammates, staff, his parents, and his fiancee Hailee Steinfeld.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has won the 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award
An emotional Hailee Steinfeld watches on as Josh Allen delivers his acceptance speech
Allen became Buffalo’s first MVP since running back Thurman Thomas in 1991 and the third Bills player to ever win the award (the third being OJ Simpson).
Jackson was named first-team All-Pro by the same group of people who voted for the MVP award.
According to the Associated Press, who awards the MVP and names the All-Pro teams, Allen beat Jackson by four votes for the MVP award – but lost out on the All-Pro first-team selection by a vote count of 30-18.
Jackson had more passing yards (sixth in NFL to Allen’s 14th), rushing yards (first among QBs to Allen’s second), average yards-per-catch (first to Allen’s ninth), average passing yards-per-game (tenth to Allen’s 17th), and more passing touchdowns (tied for second to Allen’s seventh) than Allen while also throwing fewer interceptions. Jackson also had a better passer rating (119.6) than Allen (101.4).
Allen beat out Jackson in rushing touchdowns (12 for Allen, 4 for Jackson) and QBR (by 0.1 point).
In head-to-head battles this season, the Ravens beat the Bills 35-10 in Week 4 while the Bills beat Baltimore in the AFC Divisional round. Ballots for voting were turned in before that game.
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