Super Bowl LIX is just around the corner, and so too are the NFL Honors, the league’s annual awards showcase. Before the official unveiling of 2024’s top award-winners in New Orleans, we polled our NFL analysts at CBS Sports to gather our own votes for this year’s top talent.
And get this: We included the playoffs in our decision-making! The Associated Press’ officially recognized awards only factor in the regular season, but we decided to honor the biggest stage of the NFL season by also keeping the postseason in mind.
Here’s how we’d divvy up MVP, Coach of the Year and other major honors for the 2024 campaign:
The voters (18): Cody Benjamin, Doug Clawson, Joel Corry, Jordan Dajani, Leger Douzable, Jared Dubin, Josh Edwards, Emory Hunt, Eric Kernish, Jeff Kerr, Bryant McFadden, Garrett Podell, Pete Prisco, Mike Renner, Tyler Sullivan, Chris Trapasso, Amy Trask, Brock Vereen
MVP
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T-Bills QB Josh Allen, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (7) Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (3) Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (1)
Would you look at that?! Our crew liked Allen and Jackson so much that we couldn’t decide which of the AFC’s dual-threat superstars truly deserved the top honor. One thing’s for certain: Both quarterbacks are rare talents, and if it weren’t for Patrick Mahomes’ inevitable reign with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of them might be preparing to battle for a Lombardi Trophy as we speak.
Offensive Player of the Year
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Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (15) Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (1) Bills QB Josh Allen (1) Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase (1)
Barkley may not get as much MVP respect as he deserves considering how much he carried the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC-winning offense this year, but he ran away with this one. And it’s not hard to see why: The big-play machine is within reach of the all-time single-season mark for rushing yards, including playoffs, and has a chance to cap his magical debut Eagles season with a championship ring.
Defensive Player of the Year
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The Denver Broncos may have gone one-and-done in the playoffs, but Surtain helped lock down some of the game’s top wide receivers on the way there, giving rookie quarterback Bo Nix plenty of defensive support. In a year where the usual suspects dominated the edge-rushing group, this felt like Surtain’s true coming-out party as a lockdown cover man.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
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Need we say more? It’s nice that Bowers got a vote, because he probably deserves more attention for the way he seamlessly became a No. 1 pass catcher on an otherwise dismal Las Vegas Raiders squad. But Daniels stole the NFL spotlight for much of his first year, almost single-handedly reviving Washington with both silky rushing speed and a playoff-caliber arm. The Commanders are in good hands.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
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This might be a case of the playoffs really affecting the voting. Because Verse showed his muscle in the regular season as part of a resurgent young front, but he really made his presence felt in January, nearly helping the Los Angeles Rams upset the Eagles in snowy Philadelphia. Speaking of Philly, Mitchell has been darn near lockdown material as a perimeter cover man for the Birds.
Comeback Player of the Year
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Cincinnati didn’t even make the playoffs, but Burrow was so good in the regular season, with a cool NFL-leading 43 passing touchdowns, that this race was a no-brainer for our crew. If only the Bengals star had received a modicum of defensive support earlier on. Darnold, meanwhile, took a major step forward as an NFL starter in Minnesota, but his late-year crash undid some of that goodwill.
Coach of the Year
USATSI
Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell (7) Commanders HC Dan Quinn (6) Lions HC Dan Campbell (2) Chiefs HC Andy Reid (2) Broncos HC Sean Payton (1)
No matter that his Vikings suffered arguably the ugliest playoff defeat of this postseason, looking helpless on offense in a wild-card loss to the Rams. O’Connell still drew our props for the way he engineered a Pro Bowl season out of Darnold, guiding Minnesota to 14 wins in an ultra-tough NFC North. Quinn, the runner-up, had the Commanders on the doorstep of the Super Bowl with a rookie quarterback.
NFL awards picks: CBS Sports staff crowns MVP, Coach of the Year, other top performers, including playoffs
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