The NFL MVP of 2021 has me scratching my head. With the regular season winding down, the standout players so far this season from both sides of the ball are deserving of the highest accolade in the NFL. But which of them should take home the honor?
When Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, heard he won the award for the third time in his career, he was elated. He had only had one prolonged season leading up to this season, and it seemed as if he was shedding the rust in past few weeks. Rodgers had an impressive season, throwing a total of 48 touchdown passes and 4,199 passing yards. His primary target, Davante Adams, had a stellar season in receptions and yards. He was an excellent complement to Rodgers and they had some terrific plays that made highlight reels.
Derrick Henry had perhaps the best season of his career, with a whopping 2,027 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. He was the locomotive powering the Tennessee Titans’ engine this season. Henry had sustained success this season with 7 consecutive games with more than 100 rushing yards and 5 games with more than 150 rushing yards. He was a thorn in many teams’ sides that encountered them.
Tom Brady also deserves a mention for the season he has had this year. At the ripe age of 43, Brady had the highest completion percentage of his career, 72.8 percent. His Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended the regular season with an 11-5 record, good enough for a wild card spot. As the all-time leader in most quarterback categories, the feat is remarkable and impressive for Brady, particularly because he accomplished it with a different team. Brady has been an invaluable asset for his team and he fully deserves recognition for the effort he has put in this season.
Then there’s Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, led the Kansas City Chiefs to yet again another strong season. He lived up to the expectations of his MVP season last year, throwing for 4,740 yards and 38 touchdowns as well as only 6 interceptions. His precision with the ball combined with his athleticism has made the Chiefs a formidable force on offense this season.
My guess would be that Rodgers is probably the clear favorite to win the MVP. But I must stress that the other three guys mentioned have a good chance of winning as well. And even if they don’t, they’ll at least receive great recognition for the outstanding performances they’ve had this season.
Now let’s talk about defense. Ronald Darby from the Washington Football team probably deserves the most credit on the defensive side of the ball. He led the NFL in pass deflections and interceptions this season with 18 and 7 respectively. The Washington Football team had a somewhat underwhelming season, but Darby’s stellar performances really saved the day for them on many occasions. He is a great leader and a true asset to the team.
Mychal Kendricks is another defensive player who made his share of headlines this season. Playing for the Seattle Seahawks, he had a total of 81 tackles, 5 sacks, one fumble recovery, and one interception this season. He was exceptionally impressive in the playoffs against Los Angeles, leading the team with 9 tackles and one sack.
The final defensive standout from this season is Alex Singleton. Singleton was a standout from the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense with 112 tackles, 4 sacks, five pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He was an absolute shredder in the run game and stopped many promising plays in their tracks. He has all the makings of a future Pro Bowler and this could be the year he proves that.
Whether any of these players win the NFL MVP of 2021 award or not remains to be seen, but for sure, these names should definitely be brought up in the conversation when talking about the MVP race. This season has been incredibly full of talented players and it’s exciting to be able to watch them all. Who do you think should take home the award? I’d love to hear your thoughts!