Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys have been introduced as finalists for the NFL MVP and Offensive Participant of the 12 months awards.
The finalists for eight The Related Press 2023 NFL Awards had been introduced Thursday. Voting came about earlier than the top of the common season. The winners can be revealed throughout the NFL Honors present on February 8, three days earlier than Tremendous Bowl LVIII.
MVP
Josh Allen, Buffalo Payments
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Seems like Jackson's MVP ought to lose. The Ravens quarterback obtained 45 of fifty first-place votes when it was introduced earlier this month that he made the AP NFL All-Professional staff. The 2019 winner of the award, Jackson threw for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was additionally harmful on the bottom, with 821 dashing yards and 5 touchdowns as Baltimore grew to become the highest seed within the AFC with a 13-4 file.
The voting break up can be fascinating due to the late push by Prescott, who completed with an NFL-leading 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns. He additionally posted a career-best 105.9 passer ranking because the Cowboys received the NFC East title.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
For some time it appeared prefer it was Hill's prize. He threatened 2,000 receiving yards, however an ankle damage in December slowed his end — although he nonetheless led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards (50 greater than Lamb) and was tied for first with Tampa Bay Buccaneers vast receiver Mike Evans with 13 touchdowns ( another than Lamb).
McCaffrey was the NFL's dashing chief with 1,459 yards on the bottom and 14 touchdowns. A twin risk, the 49ers working again additionally recorded 564 receiving yards and 7 passing touchdowns.
Whereas Jackson can run away with the MVP, the OPOY award isn't essentially a assure for him. Since 2003, the identical participant has received the NFL MVP and Offensive Participant of the 12 months solely 10 occasions and solely as soon as since 2016 (Patrick Mahomes, 2018).
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Defensive Participant of the 12 months
DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys
Max Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
If the winner is predicated on sacks — which has been the case the final two seasons — then Watt will win his second DPOY award within the final three seasons. The Steelers linebacker led the NFL with 19, the second most of his profession. Crosby completed with 14.5 and Garrett and Parsons tied for 14. Bland had a exceptional sophomore season with a league-high 5 pick-sixes and 9 whole hits.
OFFENSIVE Rookie OF THE YEAR
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud, the 2023 No. 2 choose within the NFL draft, led all rookies and completed eighth with 4,108 yards. He was additionally tops amongst freshman quarterbacks with 23 touchdowns and solely 5 interceptions.
It's Nacua's presence that might usher in an fascinating variety of votes. The Rams vast receiver broke the NFL information for receptions (105) and whole receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie and in addition completed with six touchdowns as he developed into considered one of Matthew Stafford's favourite weapons.
Defensive Rookie of the 12 months
Will Anderson, Houston Texans
Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Kobe Turner, Los Angeles Rams
Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Anderson simply received the Professional Soccer Writers of America DROY after recording 45 tackles, seven sacks, 67 pressures and 10 tackles for loss. His seven sacks set the Texans' single-season franchise rookie file, and his 67 pressures had been probably the most by any NFL rookie in 2023.
Carter, in the meantime, performed in 16 video games for the Eagles and completed behind Anderson with six sacks. He additionally recorded 20 solo tackles and eight tackles for loss.
Turner performed for the Rams with 9 sacks in his first season and dominated off the sphere, displaying off his pipes whereas performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a current Los Angeles Kings recreation.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Payments
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Whereas they every have a superb story that helped earn them a spot among the many finalists, it's exhausting to suppose it goes to anybody aside from Hamlin for what he needed to undergo simply to get again on the sphere after his near-death expertise.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
4 of the 5 finalists received their division, with Stefanski, the 2020 winner of the award, main the Browns to a second-place end within the AFC North behind Harbaugh's Ravens. Campbell led the Lions to their first division title since 1993, whereas Ryans helped the Texans to a 10-7 file and the AFC South title in his first season after the franchise completed 3-13-1 in 2022.
ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Ben Johnson (offensive coordinator), Detroit Lions
Mike Macdonald (Defensive Coordinator), Baltimore Ravens
Todd Monken (offensive coordinator), Baltimore Ravens
Jim Schwartz (defensive coordinator), Cleveland Browns
Bobby Slowik (Offensive Coordinator), Houston Texans
The Browns' protection was the very best ranked unit within the NFL in 2023 because of Schwartz's scheming. The Lions (seventh), Ravens (ninth) and Texans (twelfth) had been among the many league's finest offenses. Macdonald's Ravens protection wasn't far behind the Browns, permitting 301.4 yards per recreation, sixth finest within the league.
