this National Football League The MVP award is almost synonymous with team success. More often than not, the MVP comes from a team that not only makes the playoffs but is among the league’s elite. However, Joe Burrow Could break the narrative of the season. The Tigers are currently 8-8 and have only a 17% chance of making the playoffs (according to new york times), Burrow’s MVP case could make him that rarest of players – those who claim the league’s most coveted individual honor despite their team missing the playoffs.
Only two NFL MVPs to miss the playoffs
This situation is so rare that it has only happened twice in the storied history of the NFL.
- Johnny Unitas (1967): The Baltimore Colts legend had an incredible season, passing for 3,428 yards, 20 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of A league-high 58.5%. The Colts finished with an 11-1-2 record, but a brutal tiebreaker (the point difference in head-to-head games) kept them out of the playoffs. That season was a painful reminder of how brutal the math of the NFL playoffs can be.
- O.J. Simpson (1973): Simpson’s MVP season will go down in history for his eye-popping 2,003 yards rushing, the first running back ever to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Despite this, the Buffalo Bills finished second in the AFC East with a 9-5 record and missed the playoffs entirely. His historic personal achievement stands in stark contrast to his team’s absence from the playoffs.
Can Joe Burrow redefine what it means to be an NFL MVP by joining this elite club?
Statistically? Absolutely. Burrow is having one of the best seasons of his career, leading the NFL in passing yards (4,641) and touchdowns (42) while having the league’s fifth-highest completion percentage and the league’s lowest interception rate one. Those numbers are enough to earn him an MVP award, but the Bengals’ rollercoaster season could hold him back.
The Bengals started 1-4 and later scraped back to .500, but still find themselves in a precarious position. As it stands, they need a miracle to make the playoffs, with teams like Denver and Miami holding key advantages in the AFC’s final playoff games.
Burrow knows the possibilities. When asked about his chances of winning MVP this week, he said: “Typically, you have to win your division. That’s how the vote goes. I don’t necessarily disagree with that. It’s a fair point. Historically, MVP voters favor players who lead their teams to division titles (or better).
Why Joe Burrow’s MVP race could rewrite NFL precedent
Still, Burrow’s MVP argument goes beyond raw statistics. The Bengals have been plagued by injuries all season, including to key defensive players and starting offensive tackle. Still, Burrow has looked unstoppable at times, throwing for 27 touchdowns and just five interceptions in the past two months alone. Cowboys star Micah Parsons summed it up best on his podcast: “If you ask anyone in the league right now, Joe Burrow is the best quarterback we’ve ever faced. We played Lamar this year.
Burrow’s candidacy highlights a broader question: Should MVP voting be so dependent on the team’s success? If MVP truly means “most valuable player,” Burrow deserves recognition for his ability to remain competitive despite the Bengals’ obvious problems.
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