PFT’s NFL 2022 MVP: Patrick Mahomes

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Throughout any given season, the question of who will or can be the MVP becomes a rollercoaster. Candidates come out. Some remain viable, others come and go. By the time all 17 games are played, the answer becomes clear.

This year, the obvious answer is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

It’s easy to take its magic for granted, to expect greatness instead of being daunted by it. After a closer-than-expected victory over the Texans in December that featured a touchdown that few quarterbacks in the history of the sport could have pulled off, Mahomes explained that some of his best work happens when he slides into “panic mode.”

For most, panic mode never ends well. For Mahomes, it unlocks a combination of skill and instinct that leads to memorable moments, whether it’s throwing a cross-court laser while escaping pressure or flipping a sudden punch to rebound Jerick McKinnon.

And when Mahomes decides to run the ball, he has an uncanny knack for weaving through bodies that jump and crash hopelessly in an attempt to bring him down.

The end result for Mahomes was a single-season record for total offense, with 5,250 passing yards, 385 rushing yards and six receiving yards. That’s 5,614 yards of total offense from Mahomes, who in his fifth year as a starter has already cemented his Hall of Fame credentials.

The next step is trying to get another Super Bowl win. He said in December that he’d rather win a championship than an MVP award, that he’s won every award and strongly prefers the one set in February. No player has accomplished both since Rams quarterback Kurt Warner in 1999.

Others deserve consideration as the most valuable in the sport. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the preseason favorite, had another breakout season. However, a tendency to turn the ball over in the red zone dragged him down in the end. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, after a slow start largely caused by an appendectomy, showed he’s not afraid of anything, as evidenced by three wins over Mahomes in the 2022 calendar year.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts might have won the award but for a shoulder injury that caused him to miss multiple games late in the season. He can run, he can throw and most of all he can lead. He explained after a win over the Steelers that he felt the rest of the team adopted his obsessive focus and determination to win game after game.

Even some non-midfielders showed their worth. The Vikings would be ordinary at best without receiver Justin Jefferson. And 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa made people stop and think about whether it’s time for a defensive player to win the award for the first time since Lawrence Taylor in 1986.

At the end of the day, though, it’s Mahomes. The best player at the most important position in sports. A player who will likely continue to do what he has been doing at the highest level for another decade, maybe even longer.