Jackson near-unanimous choice as MVP
LAS VEGAS — Accepting the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in person was bittersweet for Lamar Jackson.
Jackson was a near-unanimous choice for his second MVP award announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night but the quarterback’s Baltimore Ravens fell one win short of playing in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“I’d rather send in a video to win the award,” Jackson said. “To be here for the award, it’s an honor but I’d rather be in the Super Bowl accepting this award.”
The All-pro QB received 49 of 50 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of voters that includes media members who regularly cover the NFL, former players and coaches.
Jackson led the Ravens (14-5) to the NFL’S best record in the regular season, but they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The 27-year-old Jackson is the fourth player to win his second MVP before turning 28, joining Patrick Mahomes (27), Brett Favre (27) and Jim Brown (22).
“It’s an honor. I guess I’m in elite company,” Jackson said.
Other award winners were:
Offensive Player of the Year:
49ers running back Christian Mccaffrey.
Defensive Player of the Year: Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. Comeback Player of the Year: Browns quarterback Joe Flacco.
Coach of the Year: Browns coach Kevin Stefanski.
Walter Payton Man of the Year: Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward.
Peppers, Johnson lead Hall class
The Pro Football Hall of Fame now has a roster featuring every NFL franchise.
Julius Peppers became the first player drafted by Carolina to make it to the Hall and Andre Johnson became the first for Houston as part of the 2024 class announced Thursday night at NFL Honors.
The Panthers and Texans had been the last two franchises who hadn’t had a player they drafted get voted into the Hall.
Johnson became the first player to spend the bulk of his career with the Texans to make the Hall of Fame.
A first-round pick in Houston’s second season in 2003, Johnson led the league in receiving yards twice, was a two-time All-pro and had seven 1,000-yard seasons despite spending most of his career without an elite quarterback.
The class had a distinctive defensive feel with Johnson the only offensive player to make it. Peppers was joined by another elite pass rusher in Dwight Freeney and do-everything 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis in the modern era category.
Dynamic returner Devin Hester also got voted into the Hall from the group of 15 finalists as the first player to get in primarily as a returner.
Two more defensive players got in on the senior category, with linebacker Randy Gradishar and defensive tackle Steve Mcmichael getting the needed 80% support from the panel.
Mcmichael, a former Texas standout, controlled the interior of the line on the 1985 Bears’ famed “46 defense” that is considered by many to be the best ever after leading Chicago to an 18-1 record and allowing only 10 points in three playoff wins.
Mcmichael had 95 career sacks as a defensive tackle, was selected as an All-pro in 1985 and ’87 and was a secondteamer two other times.
Odds and ends
The Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire Aden Durde as the defensive coordinator for new coach Mike Macdonald, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Friday. Durde has been the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys since 2011, but he won’t have a chance at calling plays by coming to Seattle. Macdonald, who made his name as one of the top defensive minds in the game, said he plans to continue calling plays for the defense in Seattle at least initially. … New Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith added to his staff, hiring Tom Arth as quarterbacks coach, Zach Azzanni as wide receivers coach and Mateo Kambui as offensive assistant.