Josh Allen won the playoff battle against Lamar Jackson. Now, the Buffalo Bills quarterback has bested his counterpart on the Baltimore Ravens on another front.
On Thursday at NFL Honors in New Orleans, Allen was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024 season. He received 27 first-place votes, while Jackson captured the remaining 23.
Allen won the award for the first time in his career after finishing second to Aaron Rodgers in 2020 as well as third in 2022 and fifth in 2023. He becomes the Bills’ third winner following O.J. Simpson in 1973 and Thurman Thomas in 1991.
Allen is also the first player since Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway in 1987 to be chosen as outright MVP despite not being named a first-team All-Pro. Jackson beat him out for that honor, with Allen taking the second-team slot. Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was also a second-team All-Pro selection in 2003, when he split MVP honors with Peyton Manning.
Afterward, Allen said he was taken aback by the result.
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“Yeah, I was pretty surprised,’ Allen said, ‘given what we know about, typically, how the voting goes. Lamar was very deserving of this award as well. I have nothing but love and respect for him and his game.”
In his seventh season, Allen threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns while recording a career-low six interceptions. He also added 531 rushing yards and 12 scores on the ground.
Despite an offseason of transition that saw Buffalo part with top targets Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis among other key pieces, Allen managed to lead the Bills to a 13-4 mark and the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Bills handled the Denver Broncos in the wild-card round and edged the Ravens in the divisional round before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game.
This story has been updated with additional information.