For the second time in his career, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been named the AP NFL Most Valuable Player.
Following a 2022 regular season in which he led the NFL in passing touchdowns (41) and offensive touchdowns (45) as well as a career-high 5,250 yards in the league’s premier scoring offense, Mahomes, who previously won the award in the 2018-19 season, was honored Thursday night.
“First I would like to thank God for giving me this platform and putting so many amazing people around me, to help support this journey I’ve had since I was a little kid. Without them none of this would be possible,” Mahomes said in a video aired at the NFL Honors award ceremony on Thursday night.
Mahomes also expressed gratitude to his teammates and the Chiefs management. “I would never be standing here today without y’all. Every day, giving everything that we have together to go for the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl. Let’s continue to go for that dream this weekend.”
The 27-year-old signal caller is the 10th player in NFL history to win the award multiple times. On Sunday, he will compete for a second Super Bowl title in his career. Mahomes led Kansas City to the Super Bowl for the third time in the last four seasons, assisting the Chiefs in securing the AFC’s top seed.
In Super Bowl LVII, which takes place this Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, Kansas City will face the Philadelphia Eagles.
Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, was there for the ceremony on Thursday night. He gave thanks for surviving a cardiac arrest at a Bills game in the beginning of January and got a standing ovation for it.
Hamlin was surrounded by medical personnel from the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, as well as doctors from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who assisted in his survival.
“First I would like to just want to thank God for even just being here,” Hamlin said. “Every day, I’m amazed at my experiences could encourage so many others across the country and even across the world.”
On Wednesday, Hamlin received the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award.
In the meantime, Justin Jefferson, a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, was named the year’s offensive player. Nick Bosa, a defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers, won the award for Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in pass rush with 18.5 sacks during the regular season. Out of 50 votes for first place, Bosa received 46.
Garrett Wilson, a rookie wide receiver for the Jets, and Sauce Gardner, a rookie cornerback, won Rookie of the Year awards for offense and defense, making them the third teammate duo to win both awards in the same NFL season.
Brian Daboll was named Coach of the Year for leading the New York Giants to the playoffs in his first year as head coach.
Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, received the Walter Payton Man of the Year award from the NFL.
Joe Thomas, a stalwart of the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line, Darrelle Revis, a shutdown cornerback for the Jets, and DeMarcus Ware, a star of the Dallas Cowboys, were named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
