The five finalists for this year’s NFL MVP award have been announced – with one inclusion sparking outrage amongst fans on social media.
Battling it out for the coveted individual prize in 2024 are quarterbacks Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens), Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) and Jared Goff (Detroit Lions), as well as Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
Allen, who is set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship game, is the current favorite to be crowned MVP after getting the better of Jackson in Sunday’s Ravens-Bills Divisional playoff.
Yet after the NFL announced its five finalists on Thursday, fans were left in disbelief at Goff making it onto the list.
The Lions quarterback enjoyed a sensational regular season; ranking second for pᴀssing yards (4,629), fourth for touchdown pᴀsses (37) and second for pᴀsses completed amongst starting quarterbacks (72.4 percent) in the entire league.
Though in last weekend’s Divisional showdown with Commanders, Goff was unable to inspire the Super Bowl favorites to victory as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels instead sent Washington to the NFC Championship game.
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are amongst the five finalists for this year’s NFL MVP award
NFL MVP finalists:— Josh Allen— Lamar Jackson— Joe Burrow— Jared Goff— Saquon Barkley pic.twitter.com/qfyaEGd8Dx
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 23, 2025 Read More What Lamar Jackson told Mark Andrews after his awful drop ended the Baltimore Ravens’ season
Despite putting up a solid 313 yards for a touchdown pᴀss on the night, many believe he should be nowhere near this season’s MVP voting.
One user wrote on X: ‘Probably between Jackson and Allen. Why is Goff on there?’
Another asked: ‘Jared Goff?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!’
‘ZERO reason for Jared Goff to be here,’ insisted a third.
‘Replace Goff with Jayden Daniels,’ a fourth recommended after Saturday’s playoff game in Detroit.
A fifth said: ‘Goff being on here’s kinda a joke.’
While one simply laughed: ‘Jared Goff LMFAOOOO’.
The NFL’s MVP award is handed to the player considered the most valuable throughout the regular season, with voting for the prize held before the playoffs get underway.
As a result, Goff would have made it onto the list prior to Detroit’s stunning loss to Washington on Saturday.
Jared Goff’s inclusion on the MVP list has sparked outrage amongst fans on social media
Goff failed to inspire the Lions past the Commanders in last weekend’s Divisional playoffs
Bengals QB Joe Burrow (left) and Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (right) make up the MVP finalists
Allen is widely expected to take the award after helping the Bills win their fifth straight AFC East тιтle. He threw for 3,731 yards, 28 touchdowns and had six picks for a 101.4 pᴀsser rating. He also ran for 531 yards and 12 scores.
Barkley, the only non-quarterback finalist, ran for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history. He sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he needed 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson´s single-season record. The 27-year-old helped the Eagles win the NFC East and advance to the conference championship game.
Jackson, the reigning winner, is seeking his third MVP award after leading the Ravens to an AFC North тιтle. He had career-highs with 4,172 yards pᴀssing, 41 touchdowns to just four interceptions and a 119.6 pᴀsser rating, which led the NFL.
The Baltimore star was a first-team All-Pro for the third time and also ran for 915 yards and four touchdowns before losing to Allen and Buffalo last weekend.
Burrow, meanwhile, led the NFL with a career-high 4,918 yards pᴀssing and 43 touchdowns despite the Cincinnati Bengals finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs.