49ers Coach Kyle Shanahan Won't Endorse Brock Purdy Or Christian McCaffrey Over The Other For NFL MVP
The San Francisco 49ers boast one of the league's best offenses. As a team, that's great. But, when it comes to individual awards, it can be difficult to award the credit. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan won't endorse quarterback Brock Purdy or running back Christian McCaffrey for MVP over the other.
"Are you trying to get me in trouble with those two guys?" Shanahan said, according to ESPN. "That's the only reason I wouldn't overly comment on either one of them because I don't want them to cancel each other out."
He might not want to pick either player, but sportsbooks made their choice quite known: it's Purdy.
Purdy is at, or near, the top of the MVP odds at most sportsbooks. According to PointsBet Sportsbook, Purdy and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott have the same odds (+150). McCaffrey is seventh at +2000.
There's no secret that quarterbacks have the best shot to win the NFL MVP award. And, quite frankly, they should. No single player has a bigger impact on his team than the quarterback.
That's part of the reason the NFL has the "Offensive Player of the Year" Award. That award generally goes to the best non-quarterback.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is the odds-on favorite to capture that award (-240) with McCaffrey sitting at #2 (+150).
Perhaps the most surprising odds are for the NFL Coach of the Year award. The downside for Kyle Shanahan having Purdy, McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle is that he doesn't get the individual credit.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is the favorite to win Coach of the Year (+200) with a pair of rookie head coaches just behind him. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is second (+400) and Colts coach Shane Steichen is third (+300).
Kyle Shanahan is sixth at +900.
It would be something if none of the 49ers came away with any hardware.
Someone has to get credit for their ridiculous offensive success, don't they?