In a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 NFL season, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills emerged victorious as the league’s Most Valuable Player. The prestigious honor was bestowed upon Allen at the 2025 NFL Honors, where he was officially recognized as the best player in the league. However, the race for the MVP title was not without its share of drama and excitement, as Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens put up a fierce competition with his outstanding performance in the latter half of the season.
The Associated Press has been awarding the NFL MVP since 1957, with Allen becoming the most recent recipient of this esteemed accolade. Throughout the year, Allen maintained his status as the favorite to win the award, boasting the best odds for a significant portion of the season. Despite this, Jackson’s remarkable late-season surge added a layer of suspense to the race, culminating in a closely contested vote. In fact, the margin of victory was the narrowest since 2016, when Matt Ryan edged out Tom Brady for the title.
When the final tally was revealed, Allen secured 27 first-place votes compared to Jackson’s 23, ultimately accumulating 383 points to clinch the MVP crown. Interestingly, despite Allen’s MVP win, Jackson was named first-team All-Pro over him, marking the first instance since 1987 that the MVP recipient was not also a first-team All-Pro selection. This unique turn of events added an intriguing twist to an already compelling narrative surrounding the MVP race.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Las Vegas has identified both Allen and Jackson as co-favorites to once again contend for the MVP award. The current odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of February 7 paint a picture of the early frontrunners in the race for the 2025-26 NFL MVP title. With Allen and Jackson leading the pack with odds of +500 each, followed closely by Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders at +650, the stage is set for another exciting season of football.
Top Contenders for the 2025-26 NFL MVP Award
Here is a breakdown of the odds for the top contenders vying for the coveted MVP title in the upcoming NFL season:
– Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
– Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
– Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
– Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
– Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
– Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
– Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
– C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
– Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
– Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
– Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
– Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
– Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
The odds also highlight the first non-quarterbacks to make an appearance on the list, with Jahmyr Gibbs (+7500) and Saquon Barkley (+8000) breaking into the rankings. Notable running backs Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey follow closely behind at +10000, underscoring the historical dominance of quarterbacks in the race for the MVP award.
It is worth noting that the last non-quarterback to claim the prestigious title was Adrian Peterson in 2012, underscoring the quarterback-centric nature of the award in recent years. However, with a talented pool of contenders vying for the MVP honor in the upcoming season, football fans can expect an electrifying battle on the gridiron as the race for the 2025-26 NFL MVP award heats up.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights on the latest NFL news, as the countdown to the new season begins. Who will emerge as the next MVP standout in the NFL? The stage is set, and the excitement is palpable as the battle for football’s most coveted individual honor unfolds in the coming months.
