My 2024 NFL awards ballot, from MVP Josh Allen to my all-rookie teams

christian d'andrea

Wed, 15 Jan 2025, 7:01 am·11-min read

Bills Josh Allen leaps to the end zone in a nine-yard touchdown run after getting the ball passed back to him from Amari Cooper during second half action of their home game against the San Francisco 49ers in Orchard Park on Dec. 1, 2024.

The 2024 NFL season was a tale of favorites.

The Kansas City Chiefs held serve as the AFC's final boss. The Buffalo Bills, despite shedding several veteran starters, ran away with the AFC East. The Detroit Lions continued their upward trajectory.

In all, it was the chalkiest season in a decade with favorites winning 186 of the 256 games played before a mostly meaningless Week 18. A league known for turnover and parity welcomed only four new teams to the postseason.

Still, some surprises managed to shine. New legends were made. Aging teams began to fade. And incredible performances meant even a fairly predictable season felt special at times.

Let's talk about those performances. As a member of the Pro Football Writers Association, I get to vote on the organization's annual awards -- everything from MVP to all-rookie teams. Let's break down my picks, starting with the top overall regular season award and winding all the way through to 2024's breakout stars.

MVP: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Oct 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Let's start with the toughest vote on the ballot. Which AFC superstar was truly the most valuable this season?

Lamar Jackson had the better numbers. Josh Allen had the better record. Either was capable of thrashing defenses with devastating runs or perfectly placed deep throws. Both were must-watch television as soon as the ball was snapped.

Jackson had 45 total touchdowns to Allen's 40. He had 5,087 total yards to Allen's 4,369, though the latter hardly played in a meaningless Week 18 loss to the New England Patriots. Jackson had the higher passer rating (119.6 to 101.4), threw deeper passes on average (8.8 yards of average target distance to 8.4) and was slightly more efficient as a scrambler (9.0 yards per scrambler vs. 8.9).

Allen had a slightly better QBR than Jackson (77.4 to 77.3) took fewer sacks (a 2.8 percent sack rate vs. 4.6) and had a significantly higher expected points added (EPA) per play (0.332 vs. 0.296). Both these players are extremely good. Removing either from the lineup would devastate their offenses.

Ultimately, this came down to an issue of who did more with less. Allen lost Stefon Diggs before 2024 started. His top targets were Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman. He could hand the ball to James Cook, who is great but not on Derrick Henry's level. He may not have elevated that crew to Baltimore's lofty heights -- it was the NFL's most efficient offense last fall -- but he took his team, once expected to be locked in a mini-rebuild, on a longer journey than Jackson did.

That swung my decision. I will not be shocked or offended if Jackson wins. He's a wonderful quarterback. I think Allen did slightly more with slightly less and that's how I got here. Either way, the winner will be a deserving link in a chain of greatness.

Offensive player of the year: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball past Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas (30) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

This award could have gone a few ways and if Barkley hadn't been so undeniably good it would have been Jackson's consolation prize (not that he needs one). But the Philadelphia tailback was the engine behind his team's offensive resurgence, creating passing lanes downfield by forcing opponents to try and clog running ones near the line of scrimmage.

That plan inevitably failed despite defenses' best efforts. Barkley was held to fewer than four yards per carry just twice in 2024. He failed to record at least 100 rushing yards five times in 17 games (including the playoffs) and was limited to fewer than 60 rushing yards in one lonesome game. His 52.5 percent success rate allowed the Eagles to shift to a run-first offense and create the "and-short" situations that helped Philadelphia rank third in the NFL in third down conversions and first on fourth downs.

Defensive player of the year: Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals

Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Can the NFL's best defender really play for the league's 25th-best defense? That was the concern I had with voting Hendrickson. But in a year of flawed candidates, his dominance was ultimately undeniable.

Hendrickson was the only member of the Cincinnati defense worth double teaming. He led the league with 17.5 sacks -- 3.5 more than second place Myles Garrett and 12.5 more than anyone else on his own team. His 57 quarterback pressures were seven more than second place Zach Allen, who played alongside another All-Pro pass rusher in an elite defense that forced opponents to pick their poison.

Since I'm big on degree of difficulty, that swung a fairly open vote in his favor. Hendrickson excelled despite being the guy in 50-point font on every opponent's game plan that week. This was more than just a great sack number -- it was a man walking through hell in gasoline boots and making it out the other side.

For a second this was a Derek Stingley Jr. vote as a representative of the Houston Texans' game-changing pass defense. Same goes for Kerby Joseph and his ability to keep things together as starters around him were taken out by injury in Detroit. And, of course, Myles Garrett warranted serious consideration -- though he wasn't quite as prolific on a bad AFC North defense as Hendrickson was.

Offensive rookie of the year: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws against Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker J.J. Russell (51) during the fourth quarter of a NFC wild card playoff at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Bo Nix gave Daniels an honest run for his money. Drake Maye and Caleb Williams had their moments. Bucky Irving capitalized on Tampa Bay's revitalized offensive line and thrived. The wideout triumvirate of Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey and Brian Thomas Jr. soared despite two members of the group being forced to catch passes from Mac Jones and Tommy DeVito in stretches.

But this was a no doubter. Daniels already ranks 13th in franchise history for most wins as a starting quarterback and he did so with a roster that won four games the year prior. He crushed opponents with deep throws to Terry McLaurin and chain-moving runs (his 891 rushing yards were second only to Lamar Jackson among quarterbacks).

He made Olamide Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown game-changing wideouts in stretches. He gave one of the world's most hopeless franchises a light at the end of a tunnel so long most people just assumed it was a dungeon.

2024 was loaded with stud rookies on the offensive side of the ball. None could match the impact Daniels had in Washington.

Defensive rookie of the year: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles

Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) intercepts a pass against Green Bay Packers wide receiver Bo Melton (80) during the second half in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Above, what I said about the Texans' pass defense emerging as their backbone? Kamari Lassiter was a huge part of that along with fellow rookie Calen Bullock and that nearly swung my vote in his direction.

Lassiter's presence punished quarterbacks who thought they could simply avoid Stingley and go about their day. The first year cornerback had a 64.0 passer rating allowed in coverage, fifth-best among all players with at least 50 targets thrown their way. He had three interceptions and allowed just 43.8 percent of passes where he was the nearest defender to be caught. He was a valid runner-up for this award in my eyes.

But Mitchell was balm in Gilead for an Eagles secondary that could have been a pile of ashes in 2024. He stepped into an immediate starting role, got zero quarter from officials as a rookie and still shined. He allowed less than 55 percent of passes thrown his way to be caught and his 6.3 yards per target was roughly on par with Darius Slay atop Philly's leaderboard (Cooper DeJean, it should be noted, was also excellent).

By those powers combined, a defense that ranked 28th in EPA allowed on passing plays in 2023 improved to third place in 2024. Mitchell wasn't the only reason for that -- just the most important one.

That gave him the edge over the Los Angeles Rams impressive pairing of Jared Verse and Braden Fiske (13 sacks, 55 pressures between them) and Miami Dolphin Chop Robinson (six sacks in his final 10 games). Beanie Bishop and Tarheeb Still warranted consideration as well.

If the Green Bay Packers' Edgerrin Cooper had played more this could have been him. He was a lightning bolt after a slow start to his career, serving as a devastating weapon against the run, serving up pressure as an occasional blitzer and rising up in coverage. But he only made four starts this season and played 55 percent of the team's defensive snaps in 2024, leaving him to merely languish on my all-rookie team instead.

Comeback player of the year: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) celebrates after the game-winning touchdown pass to Tee Higgins in overtime of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Bengals took a 30-24 win in overtime to remain in the post season chase.

Using the AP definition of "comeback" in this instance means limiting the pool of candidates to guys who were hurt in 2023. Which makes this a bit of a silly award, but whatever. Burrow missed a chunk of last season and still came back to lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns despite one of the league's worst pass protecting offensive lines. His 1.6 percent interception rate was fifth-best among players to start at least seven games.

Most improved player: Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates his touchdown to wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

His revival landed with a thud, but between Weeks 1 and 17 Darnold's 106.7 expected points added (EPA) were ninth-most in the NFL. Which is remarkable, considering he's Sam Darnold.

Coach of the year: Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 08: Sam Darnold #14 celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass with head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776151522 ORIG FILE ID: 2188915717

The heart of the Vikings' 14-win season wasn't merely reviving Darnold. After all, the journeyman quarterback had a pretty solid insurance plan in place thanks to the presence of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and, eventually, a healthy T.J. Hockenson.

Instead, O'Connell worked with Brian Flores to turn an undermanned defense into a wrecking ball. They made a secondary made up of aging veterans and discarded spare parts into the league's scariest unit (in terms of EPA allowed). The Vikings were better than anyone expected. The ability to craft something significantly greater than the sum of its parts is a testament to O'Connell's leadership.

My All-Pro offense:

Nov 10, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) lines up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images ORG XMIT: IMAGN-881015 ORIG FILE ID: 20241110_nrs_fo8_0089.jpg

QB: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

RB: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

RB: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

WR: Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

WR: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

TE: George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

C: Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens

G: Joe Thuney, Kansas City Chiefs

G: Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos

OT: Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OT: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions

There isn't much controversy here, but if there's one pick I have to defend it's probably Nacua over Justin Jefferson or Amon-Ra St. Brown. Those guys are both great and Nacua only played nine games this season.

But here's what he did when he was on the field:

90 receiving yards per game (third-best in the NFL, 0.2 yards behind Jefferson)

a 74.5 percent catch rate (fifth best among wideouts with at least 75 targets)

3.61 yards per route run (first)

The Rams were 8-3 with him in the lineup and 2-4 without. That was enough to give him an edge on my ballot, but you can make the case for Jefferson or St. Brown convincingly and I could change my mind on any given day. Turns out, all these guys rule.

My All-Pro defense:

Nov 26, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrate a sack of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (6) in the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports

DE: Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals

DE: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

DT: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos

DT: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers

OLB: Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota Vikings

OLB: Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos

ILB: Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles

CB: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots

CB: Derek Stingley Jr., Houston Texans

S: Kerby Joseph, Detroit Lions

S: Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Packers

This is pretty much on-par with the AP's All-Pro team. The exception is Greenard, whose ability to create pressure was vital to Minnesota's defensive success. His 42 pressures were fifth-most in the NFL and 18 hurries tied for second. He wasn't as recognizable as Andrew Van Ginkel in the Twin Cities, but he was the engine that powered his front seven.

My All-Pro special teams:

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers place kicker Chris Boswell (9) kicks a field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

K: Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers

P: Blake Gillikin, Arizona Cardinals

KR: Kavonte Turpin, Dallas Cowboys

PR: Marvin Mims, Denver Broncos

Special teamer: J.T. Gray, New Orleans Saints

Nothing too bold here. I'd just like to point out Gillikin punted 38 times and had a single touchback while ranking third in the NFL in net yards per punt.