Brady, 40, becomes oldest MVP in NFL history
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady became the oldest player to win the Most Valuable Player award on Saturday, doing so at the age of 40.
Brady claimed 40 of the 50 votes from a national panel of media, with the Los Angeles Rams’ Todd Gurley garnering eight votes and Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz getting two.
Injured Patriots teammate Julian Edelman accepted the award on Brady’s behalf at the NFL Honors ceremony in Minneapolis.
The award is Brady’s third MVP honor, tying him with Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas and Brett Favre for second most all-time. Peyton Manning holds the record with five.
Brady thanked his teammates in an acceptance video posted to the Patriots’ Twitter account after he received the honor.
“I’m very humbled and honored to accept this award tonight,” Brady said. “In a team sport like football, you certainly can’t achieve anything as an individual without incredible teammates and incredible coaches.”
It was the 10th time in the past 11 seasons that a quarterback won the award, a streak broken only by Adrian Peterson in 2012. A different QB has won it in each of the past five seasons. Brady previously won it in 2007 and 2010.
The 18-year veteran led the NFL in passing attempts (581), yards (4,577) and yards per game (286.1) this season while throwing for 32 scores and eight interceptions. Only Alex Smith (104.7) and Drew Brees (103.9) finished with a better passer rating than Brady’s 102.8.
Late Sunday, Brady was trying to be the first player to win MVP and the Super Bowl in the same season since Kurt Warner did so in 1999. The last eight MVPs to appear in the Super Bowl wound up on the losing team, including Brady in 2007.
Meanwhile, the Rams made noise at the NFL Honors show, with Gurley claiming Offensive Player of the Year, defensive tackle Aaron Donald winning Defensive Player of the Year and Sean McVay grabbing Coach of the Year.
McVay won the award in his first season with the team as the youngest head coach in NFL history, having led the Rams to a seven-game improvement from their 2016 record. He received 35 of the 50 available votes, with Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer getting 11. Jacksonville’s Doug Marrone got two, while both Super Bowl coaches – New England’s Bill Belichick and Philadelphia’s Doug Pederson – got one vote.
Donald finished the year with 11 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 27 quarterback hits, most or tied for most among defensive tackles in each category. He earned his fourth Pro Bowl appearance in as many seasons and third consecutive first-team All-Pro selection.
Gurley also had a remarkable campaign, leading the league in yards from scrimmage (2,093) and touchdowns (19).
Another NFC running back claimed the Offensive Rookie of the Year title, New Orleans Saints third-round pick Alvin Kamara.
Kamara had just 120 carries all year, but his 6.1 yards-per-carry average led all running backs by more than a full yard. Only quarterback Cam Newton (5.4) was remotely close among all players.
Kamara’s teammate, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year, giving New Orleans a clean sweep of the first-year player awards.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen was named Comeback Player of the Year after returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament to have a terrific campaign.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Randy Moss and linebackers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher were elected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in their first year of eligibility, heading an eight-person class.
Wide receiver Terrell Owens and safety Brian Dawkins were the other modern-era players selected. Two seniors committee nominees, linebacker Robert Brazile and guard Jerry Kramer, also got the call, as did Bobby Beathard, a former general manager of the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.
The vote was held in Minnesota near the culmination of Super Bowl week, and the official announcement on the televised NFL awards show Saturday night. This year’s Hall of Fame enshrine-ment is set for August 4 in Canton, Ohio.