Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named the AP NFL Most Valuable Player during the NFL Honors, where he won in a landslide with an overwhelming 48 first-place votes.
But one of the biggest surprises in looking at the voting breakdown was that Bears quarterback Justin Fields received a vote for MVP.
It was a fifth place vote, worth one point, but it was a vote nonetheless.
That’s the same as Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and Titans running back Derrick Henry, among others.
Fields is the only NFC North quarterback to receive a vote for MVP.
AP NFL MVP voting breakdown:
10 points for 1; 5 points for 2; 3 for 3; 2 for 4; 1 for 5.
First-place votes:
1. Patrick Mahomes – 48
2. Jalen Hurts – 1
3. Josh Allen – 1 pic.twitter.com/agBtDW2XGr— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 10, 2023
Fields emerged as one of the NFL’s most electric players this season, where he made defenses pay with his elite speed and athleticism. Fields racked up 1,143 rushing yards, falling just 64 yards shy of breaking Lamar Jackson’s single-season rushing record.
In the latter half of the season, Fields was breaking records on an almost weekly basis. He rushed for 178 yards against the Dolphins, which was the most ever by a quarterback in a regular season game. Fields cleats are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Fields’ performance was made all the more impressive considering his supporting cast, which included one of the league’s worst offensive lines and an underwhelming receiving corp.
GM Ryan Poles has a lot of work to do this offseason in building around Fields. And if he does it right, we could see Fields in the conversation for league MVP.
