NFL Awards Watch: The Final 5 Picks Include Patrick Mahomes As MVP, Nick Bosa As Top Defensive Player

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Welcome to NFL Awards Watch, my weekly column that takes a look at the five major awards handed out in the NFL: MVP; Offensive and Defensive Player Of The Year; and Offensive and Defensive Rookie Of The Year.

JONATHAN HUTTON NFL AWARDS WATCH ARCHIVE

With the season complete, it's time to hand out accolades to the top players in the 2022 NFL Season. Let’s get to it:

NFL Awards Watch: Week 18

Nick Bosa and Patrick Mahomes. (Getty Images)

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

WINNER: QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs 

Kansas City finished with the NFL's best record and Mahomes produced incredible numbers despite the team trading away Tyreek Hill. He passed for 5,250 yards, becoming just the third quarterback to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark for a second time in a career. The other two? Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Mahomes also passed for 41 touchdowns, surpassing 40 for the second time in his career.

The Two Who Missed:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON, Minnesota Vikings

How often does a season like Justin Jefferson's overshadow the play of a quarterback? That's why he should win this award. He’s been outstanding throughout the season, leading the league in receptions (128), receiving yards (1,809) and first downs (80). He dropped just one pass on 181 targets. He was close to becoming the first wide receiver to reach the 2,000-yard mark in a single season. MVP is mostly reserved for QBs. This award shouldn't go to anyone but the Vikings star player.

The Two Who Missed:

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

RB KENNETH WALKER III, Seattle Seahawks.

K9 was fantastic in Seattle, finished the regular season with over 1,000 yards rushing despite not entering the starting lineup until Rashaad Penny was placed on Injured Reserve in mid-October. He sealed this category by closing out Week 18 with 114 yards in a must-win overtime victory over the Rams.

The Two Who Missed:

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

DE NICK BOSA, San Francisco 49ers

Bosa led the league in sacks (18.5) and quarterback hits (48). No other player finished within 13 QB hits this season. The other players with at least 17 sacks and more than 40 quarterback hits in a single season since 2006: J.J. Watt (2012, 2014, 2015) and Aaron Donald in 2018. Both players won Defensive Player of the Year honors following each of those seasons. Bosa's next accomplishment after winning Defensive Player of the Year -- a massive payday becoming the highest-paid defensive player in the history of the league.

The Two Who Missed:

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

CB SAUCE GARDNER, New York Jets

The Jets missed the playoffs, but Gardner shined throughout the year, easily leading the NFL with 20 pass breakups. Offenses would completely avoid his side of the field at times, not even trying to test the rookie with top receiver options.


The Two Who Missed:

Jonathan Hutton is the host of OutKick 360 and writes weekly about NFL awards. Follow Hutton on Twitter.

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Jonathan Hutton is the host of OutKick 360 which breaks down all the latest sports headlines every day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Hutton joined OutKick in January of 2021 after nine years as co-host of Midday 180 on 104.5 The Zone, the second highest rated local sports show in the United States. He is well recognized in the Tennessee sports community and spent 16 years on the Tennessee Titans Radio Network, serving as the Gameday Host, sideline reporter, among other roles. Hutton also does television play-by-play for the TSSAA state football and basketball championships on the NFHS Network as well as a freelance sports anchor for WTVF-TV NewsChannel in Nashville. Hutton is a Tennessee native.