Patrick Mahomes leads Aaron Rodgers in 2021 NFL MVP odds

Six months before the 2021 NFL regular season is scheduled to get underway—and just one month after the last season officially ended—K.C. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is already generating betting movement as oddsmakers are calling him the favorite to win the NFL Most Valuable Player trophy in 2021.

During the 2020 campaign, the MVP race came down to a two-horse finish between Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who ended up winning, and Mahomes. In the end, even that wasn’t much of a competition since Rodgers’ stats got better down the stretch as Mahomes’ production waned down the stretch.

When head coach Andy Reid decided to sit him and the rest of the starters in Week 17 against the L.A. Chargers, it placed the nail in Mahomes’ coffin for any MVP hopes.

Mahomes first won the NFL MVP award three years ago after his first full season as a starting quarterback for the Chiefs. From there, he’s finished as a finalist in each of the following two seasons, losing to Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens in 2019 and then Rodgers in 2020. His ability to remain among the league’s elite performers year to year is what makes him such a safe bet in Vegas sportsbooks.

Patrick Mahomes is the odds-on favorite for NFL MVP in 2021.

It’s interesting to also note that Russell Wilson and Josh Allen are also in play here, which bodes well for Allen’s projections in Buffalo. As for Wilson, trade rumors will impact his future, so it’s interesting to see him listed so high on this list of favorites at this stage in the offseason given the uncertainty surrounding his future.

While other teams retool and hope to keep their quarterbacks surrounded with great weapons, the Chiefs are returning the bulk of their offensive core with Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and others all scheduled to return. Overtures have also been made about retaining Sammy Watkins in free agency.

Mahomes threw for 4.740 passing yards in 2020 and had 38 touchdown passes to go with only 6 interceptions on the season.