NFL Awards 2025: MVP, Offensive and Defensive POY, ROY, More Finalists Announced
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVJanuary 23, 2025
The NFL announced Thursday the finalists for this season's individual awards, including Most Valuable Player and Player of the Year on offense and defense.
In what's the most hotly contested race, the MVP award has come down to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Barkley, Burrow and Jackson are also up for Offensive Player of the Year.
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NFL @NFLThe finalists for AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/surface?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@surface</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLHonors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLHonors</a> <a href="https://t.co/N5kcta7tkM">pic.twitter.com/N5kcta7tkM</a>
NFL @NFLThe finalists for AP Defensive Player of the Year presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/TCL_USA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TCL_USA</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLHonors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLHonors</a> <a href="https://t.co/LCaNESupFR">pic.twitter.com/LCaNESupFR</a>
Midway through the campaign, it looked like Barkley might be the first running back since Adrian Peterson in 2012 to be named the NFL MVP. Through 11 games, he was averaging 126.5 yards per contest, putting him on pace to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.
Philadelphia rested the 27-year-old in Week 18, which denied him the opportunity to pass Dickerson, though he did become the ninth player ever to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards.
By that point, the MVP pretty much became a two-horse race between Allen and Jackson.
Allen threw for 3,731 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions while running for 531 yards and 12 scores. In what many expected to be a bit of a reset year after the Stefon Diggs trade, the Bills won 13 games and claimed an AFC East title for the fifth straight season.
If you want one single play to sum up Allen's MVP candidacy, look no further than his 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal Buffalo's 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jackson can make an equally compelling case, though.
The Ravens signal-caller set career highs in passing yards (4,172) and touchdown passes (41) while throwing just four interceptions. He was more efficient than ever through the air while posing his usual threat on the ground, going for 915 yards and leading the NFL in yards per carry (6.6) for the fourth time.
Jackson also prevailed decisively in his regular-season head-to-head battle with Allen, as the Ravens beat the Bills 35-10 in September.
Although it didn't count toward the MVP vote, Allen got his revenge as Buffalo sent Baltimore packing in the AFC divisional round. Besting Jackson in the MVP race would be another feather in the cap of the Bills star.
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