New England Patriots
Maye will face one of many seven gamers on this record this week when the Patriots journey to Baltimore.
When the Patriots journey to Baltimore on Sunday, Drake Maye could have a possibility to show himself in opposition to one in every of seven gamers in league historical past to win the MVP award at age 24 or youthful.
With three video games left within the regular-season, the 23-year-old Maye leads the Professional Bowl vote and is among the many favorites to win MVP.
Each DraftKings and FanDuel give Maye the second-best odds to win the award, trailing solely Los Angeles’ Matthew Stafford. He was within the lead earlier than final week’s loss to the Payments.
The 23-year-old sign caller has been the catalyst behind a dramatic turnaround for the Patriots this season. New England received a mixed eight video games over the previous two seasons. They received 10 in a row earlier than the Buffalo loss and are inside placing distance of clinching a playoff berth.
Maye is finishing a league-best 70.9 p.c of his passing makes an attempt. He’s within the top-5 for passing yards (3,567) and quarterback ranking (109.1), passing touchdowns (23) and yards per completion (8.7).
Because the Patriots shut out the regular-season, Maye has an opportunity to place himself in elite firm.
5 of the seven gamers to win the MVP award at age 24 or youthful are Professional Soccer Corridor-of-Famers. The opposite two, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, are nonetheless lively within the league.
Jackson grew to become the youngest two-time MVP because the AFL-NFL merger in 2024. The Patriots will face him this week.
Right here’s a take a look at Jackson, Mahomes, and the remainder of the unique record that Maye would be part of if he occurs to win the MVP award this season or subsequent season, since Maye’s summer season birthdate (August thirtieth, 2002) would make him 24 on the finish of subsequent season, too.
Jim Brown
First MVP win: 1957 (age 21)
Complete MVP wins: 3
Tremendous Bowl wins: Technically zero, since Brown retired two years earlier than the primary Tremendous Bowl was performed. He did, nonetheless, lead the Browns to an NFL Championship in 1964.
Key Stats from first MVP 12 months: 202 carries, 942 yards speeding, 9 speeding touchdowns, 4.7 yards per carry.
Notes on the marketing campaign: This was a season of many firsts for Brown. It was the primary of his three MVPs. He received the Rookie of the Yr award. He led the NFL in speeding yards and touchdowns for the primary time. It was the primary of 9 consecutive Professional Bowl appearances.
Earl Campbell
First MVP win: 1979 (age 24)
Complete MVP wins: 1
Tremendous Bowl wins: 0
Key stats from first MVP 12 months: 368 carries, 1,697 yards, 19 touchdowns, 4.6 yards per carry.
Notes on the marketing campaign: Considered one of three consecutive seasons the place Campbell led the league in speeding yards. His 19 speeding touchdowns have been a profession excessive. His solely NFL MVP award got here simply two years after profitable the Heisman Trophy at College of Texas.
Lamar Jackson
First MVP win: 2019 (age 22)
Complete MVP wins: 2
Tremendous Bowl wins: 0
Key Stats from first MVP 12 months: 265-for-401 passing (66.1 completion proportion), 36 passing touchdowns in opposition to six interceptions. 113.3 quarterback ranking.
Notes on the marketing campaign: Jackson grew to become the second participant to be unanimously voted as league MVP, becoming a member of Tom Brady as the one gamers on the record. Nobody has received the award unanimously greater than as soon as – Jackson fell one vote brief when he received once more in 2024. The Ravens cruised to a 14-2 file in 2019 earlier than falling to Mike Vrabel’s Titans within the Divisional Spherical – after Tennessee knocked Brady and the Patriots out of the playoffs within the Wild Card.
Patrick Mahomes
First MVP win: 2018 (age 23)
Complete MVP wins: 2
Tremendous Bowl wins: 3
Key Stats from first MVP 12 months: 383-for-580 passing, 5,097 passing yards, 50 touchdowns in opposition to 12 interceptions. 105.3 quarterback ranking.
Notes on the marketing campaign: Mahomes kicked off a string of six-consecutive Professional Bowl appearances. He made his first look within the AFC title recreation in opposition to the Patriots, throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns in an eventual time beyond regulation loss to New England. He tied Brady’s mark of fifty passing touchdowns, which is the second-most all time for a single season.
Dan Marino
First MVP win: 1984 (age 23)
Complete MVP wins: 1
Tremendous Bowl wins: 0
Key Stats from first MVP 12 months: 362-for-564 passing, 5,084 yards, 48 touchdowns in opposition to 17 interceptions. 108.9 quarterback ranking.
Notes on the marketing campaign: A lot of the information that Marino set throughout this season have since been surpassed, nevertheless it nonetheless holds up as one of many best particular person seasons for a quarterback ever. It was additionally the height of his efficiency – his solely time profitable the MVP and showing within the Tremendous Bowl, which Miami misplaced to San Francisco. He went on to guide the league in passing yards 5 instances and make 9 Professional Bowls.
Walter Payton
First MVP win: 1977 (age 24)
Complete MVP wins: 1
Tremendous Bowl wins: 1
Key Stats from first MVP 12 months: 339 carries, 1,852 yards, 14 touchdowns, 5.5 yards per carry.
Notes on the marketing campaign: This season made Payton the primary NFL MVP winner from an Traditionally Black Faculty (Jackson State). Steve McNair (Alcorn State) turn into the second when he was co-MVP with Payton Manning in 2003. It was the one time Payton led the league in speeding yards and speeding touchdowns. He broke O.J. Simpson’s single-game speeding yard file with 275 yards in a recreation in opposition to the Vikings that 12 months. The mark continues to be within the top-five all-time.
Emmitt Smith
First MVP win: 1993 (age 24)
Complete MVP wins: 1
Tremendous Bowl wins: 3
Key Stats from first MVP 12 months: 283 carries, 1,486 yards, 9 touchdowns, 5.3 yards per carry.
Notes on the marketing campaign: Smith, who finally grew to become the NFL’s all-time chief in speeding yards and speeding touchdowns, received each MVP and Tremendous Bowl MVP this season regardless of lacking the primary two video games. He turned in a signature efficiency throughout the regular-season finale in opposition to the Giants, going for 168 speeding yards and 61 receiving yards whereas taking part in with a separated shoulder that he suffered within the first half.
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