Patrick Mahomes is seen as favorite to win MVP award at midway point of NFL season

With nine weeks of the NFL season in the books and nine weeks still to be played, many writers and broadcasters shared their thoughts on award winners at the midway point.

It’s not unanimous, but Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the favorite to win a second Most Valuable Player award.

Mahomes has completed 66.2% of his passes and leads the league with 2,605 passing yards and 21 touchdown throws.

Here is what NFL writers and broadcasters were saying about Mahomes and the MVP race.

The Athletic’s NFL staffers voted on who they thought would end up being MVP (as opposed to who should) and Mahomes topped the poll.

“When the Chiefs traded away Tyreek Hill, it was a bet on Mahomes’ superhuman abilities, that he could elevate inferior talent and win,” wrote senior NFL editor Jim Ayello. “So? The Chiefs are 6-2, and Mahomes leads the league in passing touchdowns. He’s the best there is.”

Sports Ilustrated’s Albert Breer asked NFL executives to vote for awards. He received responses from 38 total front-office people and 20 general managers. The landslide winner for MVP was Mahomes.

This is a portion of what Breer wrote: “There have been signs that Mahomes could pull off what he has this year. He lost skill guys such as Kareem Hunt, Sammy Watkins and Chris Conley early in his career, and weathered those storms. He played with a rapidly declining line in 2020 and got to a Super Bowl, then got back to the AFC title game last year with a completely overhauled group up front. But to do this in Year 1 post-Hill — the Chiefs are scoring 30 points per game, rank first in total yards and passing yards, and are second in third-down efficiency — is damn impressive. It’s also not overstating things to say that Mahomes, at 27, is where Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were 15-20 years ago, on a Hall of Fame trajectory.”

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said Mahomes is the MVP: “I’m looking at Patrick Mahomes and the offense looks just as potent as ever.”

The NFL Network had 24 of its experts pick the award winners, and Mahomes was tied for second (six votes) with the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts. Buffalo’s Josh Allen was the top choice.

A pair of Pro Football Focus writers made picks for division winners, Super Bowl champion and MVP winner. Both Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo picked the Chiefs.

Here is what Monson wrote: “When in doubt, always default to Mahomes. Josh Allen has been too careless with the football and has a potentially concerning injury, and voters are too aware of how much of the Dolphins’ success is driven by people other than Tua Tagovailoa.”

Mike Tanier of the New York Times took a closer look at the NFL award races.

This is an excerpt from his story: “Mahomes leads the N.F.L. in passing yards (2,605) and touchdowns (21), but voters may be getting numb to his roller coaster performances in the same way moviegoers have grown weary of computer-generated superhero imagery. Mahomes could clinch his second M.V.P. Award with a series of steady-handed parlor-drama victories, but that’s just not his style.”

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, who is an ESPN analyst, has Mahomes third in his midseason MVP list.

The Fox Sports staff picked award winners and Mahomes was the choice for MVP.

Henry McKinna wrote: “Don’t give him the Michael Jordan treatment. Just because Mahomes is more of an old-news candidate than Jalen Hurts, it doesn’t mean the Chiefs QB deserves the MVP trophy any less. What other quarterback could excel like this in the season after losing his top receiver? Not Aaron Rodgers. What other quarterback can excel year after year? Only Tom Brady. As well as Hurts is playing, he has the best supporting cast in the NFL. Mahomes is doing this without that degree of help.”