Earlier than the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers meet at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for Tremendous Bowl LVIII (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS), the very best of the NFL gathered on the Resorts World Theatre for Thursday’s NFL Honors.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson secured his second MVP award after successful it in 2019. San Francisco star operating again Christian McCaffrey received Offensive Participant of the 12 months. Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud took dwelling Offensive Rookie of the 12 months honors. Cleveland Browns defensive finish Myles Garrett received his first Defensive Participant of the 12 months award. Texans defensive finish Will Anderson Jr. received Defensive Rookie of the 12 months. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was voted Coach of the 12 months for the second time. And Cleveland quarterback Joe Flacco was Comeback Participant of the 12 months.
Here is a take a look at who took dwelling the awards and why:
MVP
Lamar Jackson | QB | Baltimore Ravens
There was no shock for the NFL’s largest particular person award: Jackson was named MVP after being the betting favourite for the previous six weeks.
Jackson joined a choose group in successful NFL Most Worthwhile Participant for a second time. He turned the fifth participant to win a number of MVP awards in his first six seasons within the league. The others had been Jim Brown, Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Patrick Mahomes.
In main the Ravens to an NFL-best 13-4 report, Jackson ranked within the prime 10 this season in Whole QBR (64.7), yards per move try (8.0) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (3.4). He additionally led the NFL in yards per rush (5.5) — not simply amongst quarterbacks.
Persevering with to be the NFL’s greatest twin menace, he totaled 3,678 passing yards and 821 speeding yards. He’s the one participant to provide over 3,000 passing and 800 speeding a number of occasions, successful MVP in each seasons he has completed this feat (2019-20 and 2023-24).
Jackson overtook San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy because the MVP frontrunner on Christmas, when he guided Baltimore to a 33-19 win at San Francisco. He then primarily secured the award every week later in a 56-19 rout of the Miami Dolphins, when he recorded an ideal passer score (158.3) and threw 5 landing passes.
— Jamison Hensley
Offensive Participant of the 12 months
Christian McCaffrey | RB | San Francisco 49ers
In his first full season with the Niners, McCaffrey delivered one of the crucial productive seasons in franchise and league historical past. He led the NFL in scrimmage yards per recreation (126.4), scrimmage touchdowns (21), speeding yards (1,459), first downs (114) and 10-plus yard runs (44) whereas enjoying 16 video games.
These numbers had been sufficient to earn McCaffrey a Professional Bowl berth and first-team AP All Professional honors as he additionally added his identify to the NFL report books. McCaffrey boosted his complete profession video games with a speeding and receiving rating in the identical recreation to fifteen, tied with Marshall Faulk for probably the most in league historical past, and have become the third participant in NFL historical past to publish greater than 2,000 scrimmage yards in a season for 2 completely different franchises.
“Everybody has these health club rats who simply work so laborious. … We obtained a man like that, who’s additionally one of the crucial proficient folks within the league,” Niners coach Kyle Shanahan stated. — Nick Wagoner
Defensive Participant of the 12 months
Myles Garrett | DE | Cleveland Browns
After a number of years contending for this award, Garrett lastly obtained over the hump to seize his first NFL Defensive Participant of the 12 months honor.
He ranked simply seventh with 14 sacks. However Garrett additionally spearheaded the NFL’s greatest regular-season protection. The Browns led the league in defensive effectivity, yards per recreation allowed (267) and three-and-out fee (32.9%), amongst a number of different classes. Garrett additionally completed second in move rush win fee (30.5%) regardless of dealing with the third highest double-team fee (28.8%).
The Browns received 4 in a row late within the yr, culminating with a playoff-clinching victory over the Jets on Dec. 28. Throughout that stretch, Garrett had 35 pass-rush wins; just one different edge rusher had greater than 20 (Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt had 26).
“I do know the main focus is on sack numbers,” common supervisor Andrew Berry stated. “That actually would not inform the entire story. … He performed at a extremely excessive degree for us down the stretch.” — Jake Trotter
Offensive Rookie of the 12 months
C.J. Stroud | QB | Houston Texans
Stroud earned this award by means of the numerous rookie data he both tied or set. The previous Ohio State standout led the Texans to their first divisional title since 2019 and was the primary quarterback drafted within the prime two of the draft since 1967 to win a playoff recreation in his rookie season. That win additionally made him the youngest to win a playoff contest, passing Michael Vick.
Stroud set the report for many move makes an attempt with out an interception to start out a profession (191). He carried that momentum and in addition led the league in touchdown-to-interception ratio (23:5).
He completed the common season with 4,108 passing yards — the third most for a rookie behind Andrew Luck (4,374 in 2012) and Justin Herbert (4,336 in 2020). His highest passing mark occurred in Week 9 towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he threw for 470 yards, probably the most ever by a rookie. — DJ Bien-Aime
Defensive Rookie of the 12 months
Will Anderson Jr. | DE | Houston Texans
When Anderson got here to the Texans, he needed to set a regular that the rookies had been right here to “change the tradition.” He was instantly impactful when he recorded a sack of Jackson in Week 1.
The sack numbers slowed down, however he was nonetheless towards the highest in superior metrics. The No. 3 decide ranked third in move rush win fee (25.8%). He additionally impacted the run recreation as he was sixth in run-stop win fee (36%) amongst defensive ends with at the very least 400 snaps.
He completed the season with 7 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 22 QB hits regardless of struggling an ankle damage that made him miss two video games. — DJ Bien-Aime
Coach of the 12 months
Kevin Stefanski | Cleveland Browns
The Browns have made the postseason simply thrice since returning to the NFL in 1999. Two of these got here with Stefanski as head coach, and in each (together with 2020) he was named Coach of the 12 months.
Stefanski guided Cleveland by means of a turbulent common season to an 11-6 report. The Browns suffered season-ending accidents to quite a few key gamers, together with quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) and operating again Nick Chubb (knee).
Cleveland additionally turned the primary workforce since 1987 to start out 5 completely different quarterbacks in a season. Nonetheless, the Browns set a franchise report with a successful rating within the closing two minutes of regulation on 5 events.
“That begins with Kevin,” common supervisor Berry stated. “The best way that he was capable of lead and handle by means of challenges in adversity this yr was completely phenomenal. … I do know that our group is in actually good fingers each now and for the foreseeable future with him.” — Jake Trotter
Comeback Participant of the 12 months
Joe Flacco | QB | Cleveland Browns
Flacco went unsigned throughout the offseason, the preseason and half of the common season. However the 39-year-old former Tremendous Bowl MVP lastly obtained his probability following a season-ending shoulder damage to Watson.
Flacco signed with Cleveland on Nov. 20. Two weeks later, he obtained his first begin with the Browns and have become the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to throw for greater than 250 yards and a number of touchdowns in his first 5 video games with a brand new workforce. Over these 5 begins, Flacco additionally led the NFL with 1,616 passing yards.
With Flacco behind heart, Cleveland received 4 video games in a row to clinch its first playoff look since 2020.
“I used to be so lucky to develop into a part of this workforce,” he stated after Cleveland’s 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans within the first spherical of the playoffs. “To be given an opportunity to do that with these guys, I am tremendous grateful for it.” — Jake Trotter
