Patrick Mahomes was already the likely candidate to win the NFL’s MVP trophy for ’22, but Jalen Hurts injury removes his biggest competitor for the hardware.
On Monday afternoon, the word came down on a minor injury that had major implications across the National Football League. With the news from the Philadelphia Eagles that quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a shoulder injury during the third quarter of the team’s Week 15 game against the Chicago Bears, reports emerged that Hurts will be unlikely to suit up for Philly’s next two games. While the long-term view is the same—that Hurts should be fine for the postseason—it does mean that Patrick Mahomes should clean up on the MVP front.
Mahomes, the star quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been the frontrunner for most of the season as various competitors have come and gone. Josh Allen was a hot name for the first third of the NFL season while Hurts and Joe Burrow have come on stronger at the end. Tua Tagovailoa even had his moment there as well with a rare nod to Justin Jefferson for those wanting something left of center.
Without Hurts in the lineup for the next game at least, Mahomes will have a chance to further distance himself from competitors with another game’s worth of production as the Chiefs host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday after two road wins in recent weeks.
We’ve suddenly had a major shift in the MVP race. 2 hours ago Mahomes was +150. He’s now -150!? Rumors going around about Hurts health. @FDSportsbook pic.twitter.com/bm6zpAaNiH
— Alex Gold (@AlexGold) December 19, 2022
At this point, Hurts’ best claim on the MVP trophy has little to do with individual stats. Instead, it’s the Eagles’ position as the NFL’s best team, with an incredible 13-1 record, that deserves a mention. The Eagles, however, are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and could continue to win even with Gardner Minshew taking over. The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints loom as the next two opponents, and if Minshew and company can take out an NFC East rival on the road next Sunday, that will spell the end of Hurts’ MVP chances.
As for Mahomes, nothing is a lock with three full games to play across the entire NFL, but it helps that he leads the NFL in passing yards (4,496), touchdowns (35), and QBR (79.8). Given Mahomes’ pace to eclipse 5,000 yards for the second time in his career, he looks like the clear choice to lock up his second Most Valuable Player trophy of his young career.