The annual NFL awards presented by Associated Press are rolling around the corner, and there are several interesting categories this year. The awards are given to the best players and coaches in the NFL, and the nominees are now out. The awards are presented on February 8, 2024.
AP Most Valuable Player
The MVP tends to be a quarterback; only Adrian Peterson has won the award since 2010. This year, Tom Brady criticized the QBs from their lack of game sense and it’s showing somewhat in Christian McCaffrey getting a nod in the MVP race.
Most seem to be picking Lamar Jackson as the winner, and it’s easy to understand why. Baltimore had a great season but fell out in the first playoff round but since the QB was quite unremarkable this year, Jackson managed to stand out enough to be the most likely choice.
- Josh Allen, Buffalo
- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore
- Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
- Dak Prescott, Dallas
- Brock Purdy, San Francisco
AP Defensive Player of the Year
The DPOY race is one of the most interesting ones this year, and the experts are split on who will win. T.J. Watt had another terrific season although Pittsburgh’s performance swinged wildly during the season, while Myles Garrett’s Cleveland rallied at the end of the season to make it to the playoffs. Micah Parsons is the third person still in the mix and would be a worthy award recipient as well.
- DaRon Bland, Dallas
- Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas
- Myles Garrett, Cleveland
- Micah Parsons, Dallas
- T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh
AP Offensive Player of the Year
Where the DPOY race is a close one, the OPOY seems to a slam-dunk for Christian McCaffrey. Both Prescott and Jackson are on the ballot for this award as well, but McCaffrey is a runaway favorite for the experts. If someone else wins this one, our jaws will be on the floor.
- Tyreek Hill, Miami
- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore
- CeeDee Lamb, Dallas
- Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
- Dak Prescott, Dallas
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Like DPOY category, there are several good options in this group to win the award. None of the teams were defensively successful all season, but Will Anderson and Jalen Carter seem to be the top picks due to their great seasons.
- Will Anderson, Houston
- Jalen Carter, Philadelphia
- Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh
- Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams
- Devon Witherspoon, Seattle
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
Another category that should have an expected winner: C.J. Stroud brought some much-needed talent to Houston’s offense which made a comeback to the playoffs since 2020.
- Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit
- Sam LaPorta, Detroit
- Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
- Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
- C.J. Stroud, Houston
AP Comeback Player of the Year
Everyone loves an underdog story and there are plenty of those in this category. No one can forget the dramatic event surrounding Damar Hamlin last year, while Flacco and Mayfield played themselves back into watercooler conversations. Hamlin is the favorite to win, which isn’t surprising.
- Joe Flacco, Cleveland
- Damar Hamlin, Buffalo
- Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
- Tua Tagovailoa, Miami
AP Coach of the Year
Coach of the Year will be a close race, no matter who the winner ends up being. Detroit thrilled fans everywhere with their stellar season, which could lead Dan Campbell to win. On the other hand, Kevin Stefanski had to start four (4!) different QBs due to injuries and still made the playoffs. Houston’s Ryans is also a great candidate. To be honest, this category is anyone’s game; only Harbaugh seems to be out of the running.
- Dan Campbell, Detroit
- John Harbaugh, Baltimore
- DeMeco Ryans, Houston
- Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco
- Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland
AP Assistant Coach of the Year
The final category is the Assistant Coach of the Year, and there’s plenty of great choices here too. Johnson and Macdonald stand out above the rest, due to their teams’ great offense and defense, respectively. While the Detroit’s Cinderella story is difficult to discount, Baltimore had a fantastic defensive year and led the league in points allowed (16.5/game), sacks (60), and takeaways (31).
- Ben Johnson, Detroit
- Mike Macdonald, Baltimore
- Todd Monken, Baltimore
- Jim Schwartz, Cleveland
- Bobby Slowik, Houston
