Josh Allen finally earned his first MVP award Thursday night by a slim margin.
The Buffalo Bills quarterback edged Lamar Jackson by 21 points. Allen received 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23.
Allen has been a perennial MVP candidate throughout his career but had always fallen short prior to Thursday.
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He was a finalist three previous times, and with Jackson having just won last year, one Hall of Famer suggested Allen received sympathy votes this year.
“I get it, because [Josh] is a great quarterback. He hadn’t won one. Lamar had two. And they’re like, ‘Let’s just give him one.’ But that’s the wrong reason,” Jonathan Ogden told TMZ Sports. “But it’s all good. What are you going to do? But they made the wrong choice. But that’s all good.
“I don’t want it to sound like I’m hating on Josh because the brother is a tremendous quarterback. But he didn’t have the year Lamar had.”
Jackson’s numbers do trump Allen’s mostly across the board, but there is something to be said about Allen’s Bills running away with their division despite letting go of top receiver Stefon Diggs.
This season marked the first time since 2019 Allen did not pass for 4,000 yards, but he did lead the NFL with a 77.4 total QBR. While his 28 passing touchdowns were also his lowest since 2019, he did run for 12 touchdowns, the second most of his career.
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After winning his second MVP award last year, Jackson hit career highs with his first 4,000-yard campaign and his first season throwing 40 touchdowns.
Allen got the benefit of a rather subpar division, clinching the AFC East Dec. 1. But it became clear that as long as Allen is in the fold, the Bills have a chance to compete.
Allen received 22 second-place votes to Jackson’s 26 (Saquon Barkley and Joe Burrow each received one), while Allen also got a third-place vote. Jackson recorded a fourth-place vote.
This comes despite Jackson receiving more first-team All-Pro votes than Allen. It’s the first time since 1987 (John Elway) a first-team All-Pro did not win the MVP.
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