Each year, I go division by division and nominate who I believe is each team’s candidate for the major NFL awards and then we discuss/declare who the division’s major award winner is for the season…and that player goes onto the divisional Final Four with a chance to go to the Super Bowl/Finals for a chance to be declared my seasonal award winner.
We go division-by-division each day, then to the Final Four for each conference, then the finals to name our winner the day the NFL announces their winners. *And my choices are usually different up and down the line in each category, so enjoy a different take on the NFL awards.
We also have FFM’s Ross Jacobs’ nominees by team, by division, by conference and his eventual winner to share along with my nominees and winners.
Two notes on the voting:
*MVP (any position, but usually offense)
**Coach of the Year (any coach on the staff, not just the head coach)
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AFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: MVP
AFC East Winner = QB Josh Allen, BUF
AFC West Winner = QB Patrick Mahomes, KC
AFC North Winner = QB Joe Burrow, CIN
AFC South Winner = RB Jonathan Taylor, IND
It would take a special year for any RB to win an MVP award...Saquon and D. Henry had those years, and neither made it to the Final Four of their conferences...both beaten out by a QB. So, Jon Taylor is eliminated quickly...and we’re down to the three QBs.
There’s a case for any of the three QBs...Burrow has the stat advantage, but Allen is not far behind. Mahomes trailed in stats but has the ‘wins’ advantage.
I’m gonna split the difference and take the QB who was #2 in wins, and #2 in stats...and who beat KC/Mahomes in the regular season -- Josh Allen.
AFC Final Four Winner = QB Josh Allen, BUF
*Ross Jacobs votes:
AFC North – Joe Burrow
AFC East – Josh Allen
AFC South – Jonathan Taylor
AFC West – Patrick Mahomes
AFC WINNER – Josh Allen
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AFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Rookie of the Year
AFC East Winner = QB Drake Maye, NE
AFC West Winner = QB Bo Nix, DEN
AFC North Winner = OL Zach Frazier, PIT
AFC South Winner = WR Brian Thomas, JAX
This one is as easy as the NFC battle for the ROY award logic -- no one here is beating out Bo Nix. No one of this group of nominees had anywhere near the season and impact as Nix. And I don’t think I need to spell it out in any detail as to why...we all know.
AFC Final Four Winner = QB Bo Nix, DEN...is going on to the Finals to face Jayden Daniels in the inevitable showdown for the award.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
AFC North – Zach Frazier
AFC East – Drake Maye
AFC South – Brian Thomas
AFC West – Brock Bowers
AFC WINNER – Brock Bowers
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AFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Defensive Player of the Year
AFC East Winner = CB Christian Gonzalez, NE
AFC West Winner = CB Pat Surtain, DEN
AFC North Winner = CB Marlon Humphrey, BAL
AFC South Winner = CB Derek Stingley, HOU
We got four CBs vying for the AFC representation. Comparing their cover metrics and INTs, three CBs are close but one is a bit outside that trio...so, the one who is out is Christian Gonzalez.
Stingley and Surtain arguably have a slight lead over Humphrey in coverage metrics, but the one stat that stands out among them -- they all played a lot of games and a ton of snaps, but the one kinda neat stat is...Patrick Surtain had a ‘missed tackle’ count of ZERO this season. The others had 6-10, but Surtain (according to NFL’s numbers) had none...so, I will let that be the thing that pushes him over the top.
AFC Final Four Winner = CB Pat Surtain, DEN is going on to the Finals.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
AFC North – Cam Heyward
AFC East – Jalen Ramsey
AFC South – Will Anderson
AFC West – Pat Surtain
AFC WINNER – Pat Surtain
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AFC Final Four: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Coach of the Year
AFC East Winner = O-C Joe Brady, BUF
AFC West Winner = HC Sean Payton, DEN
AFC North Winner = HC Mike Tomlin, PIT
AFC South Winner = HC DeMeco Ryans, HOU
Wow, the NFC had four deep coaches that could be considered COY this season. This AFC group is more flimsy.
I kick Joe Brady out first. He won the AFC East because that division was an abject coaching disaster.
DeMeco Ryans goes next...they would’ve been sub-.500 in any other division.
Payton v. Tomlin? Both took teams people did not think were playoff teams...and got them to the playoffs. Yes, Payton did it with a rookie QB...but Tomlin started out the season hot with weak Justin Fields.
At the end of the season, the Broncos were a far better team than the Steelers...so, for that reason, I give the nod to Sean Payton.
AFC Final Four Winner = HC Sean Payton, DEN is going to the finals to face Dan Campbell.
*Ross Jacobs votes:
AFC North – John Harbaugh
AFC East – Joe Brady
AFC South – Matt Burke
AFC West – Andy Reid
AFC WINNER – Joe Brady
