Joe Burrow has been named as a finalist for the MVP award alongside Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley, and Jared Goff. The Cincinnati Bengals had a disappointing season and finished with a record of 9-8, but their quarterback had a phenomenal campaign, arguably the best of his career.
Nick Wright was unhappy with Burrow’s selection among the MVP finalists, mainly because the star quarterback’s team failed to make the postseason.
Nick Wright Sounds Off on Joe Burrow’s MVP Case
Wright was confused about the criteria on which the finalists were named for this season’s MVP award as it was based on a mix of team success and, in Burrow’s case, personal success. The FS1 analyst discussed the situation in a recent segment on “First Things First.”
“I have an issue with this being the collection, I don’t think it makes sense,” Wright said. “If it’s about raw numbers, then Josh Allen shouldn’t be there. If it’s just who had the best stats this year, it should be Lamar, Burrow. If we want to include running back, Saquon [Barkley] and Derrick Henry, Jayden [Daniels], you know what I mean, had a sneaky case late.”
Wright mentioned that if the selection was based on the players’ stats, then receiver Ja’Marr Chase should have also been considered. The Bengals superstar led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns this season.
“If it’s about the impact on winning success of the team, then I do think someone on the Chiefs has to be represented,” Wright added. “Joe Burrow can’t be there like the MVP is not the Offensive Player of the Year. It’s the MVP. I have never believed you should have to be the one seed or, but I think that when half the conference makes the seven of 16 make the playoffs…”
Wright intended to say a quarterback of a non-playoff team should not be considered for the MVP award when nearly half of the conference is in the postseason.
There is no denying that Burrow had a great year and would have easily won the MVP award if his team had a better record. In 17 games, he threw for 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns, and nine interceptions with a passer rating of 108.5. The Bengals star led the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and had the third-best passer rating among starting quarterbacks.
Burrow also finished fifth by PFN’s QB+ metric, which uses a variety of statistics and hands out both a score and letter grade for each passer. At 88.5 (B+), he fell behind Jackson, Allen, Goff, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
If Burrow is an MVP finalist, then Baker Mayfield could have also been considered to be part of the list, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback also had a great season and led his team to a division title. He was one spot short of Burrow by QB+.
The biggest dent in Allen’s MVP case is the time he missed … because the Bills were ahead by so much. Jackson is currently the favorite to win the award this season, though, after a similarly dominant season. Patrick Mahomes, headlining the 15-2 Kansas City Chiefs, would be a finalist in other years.
The lack of consistency in the NFL’s award process will have fans and analysts bickering for the foreseeable future.
Joe Burrow Has Missed the Playoffs Three Times in Five Seasons
Burrow was the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and came into the league with high expectations on the back of his success at LSU. He made the Super Bowl in his second season and lost to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game the following season.
Unfortunately, missing playoffs in three of his first five seasons is not a good look for the Bengals quarterback. He is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league, alongside Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson. But, unlike Burrow, the other three have consistently led their teams to the dance.
Injuries have been an issue for Burrow, as have starting seasons slow. Getting off to poor starts and then missing late-season stretches with injuries isn’t a recipe for winning a tough AFC North division.
It will be critical for Burrow and Cincinnati to hit the ground running in 2025. Now that the team has hired a new defensive coordinator in Al Golden, the superstar will once again be expected to contend for both the division and a championship.
