Is Jalen Hurts the MVP frontrunner? Assessing 5 NFL stars who could pip Eagles QB to the crown
Jalen Hurts is currently having an MVP-caliber season as the quarterback for the 11 - 1 Philadelphia Eagles. So far, the former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback has thrown for 2,940 yards, 20 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Hurts ranks in the top 10 in both passing yards and touchdowns this season. He is third in passer rating with a 108.3 rating. Not only is Hurts a threat with his arm, but his legs are just as lethal.
He has 609 yards on the ground, along with nine rushing touchdowns. He's tied for fifth in the league with nine touchdowns on the ground. All things considered, the third-year Eagles signal-caller is a frontrunner for the league MVP this season. But let's take a look at five other stars in the NFL who could challenge Jalen Hurts for the award.
#1 - QB Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes is no stranger to winning MVP. He won the award back in 2018. In the 2018 - 2019 season, he led the league with 50 touchdowns to go with 5,097 yards. This season, the Kansas City Chiefs star leads in the NFL in both passing yards (3,808) and touchdowns (30). Patrick Mahomes trails Hurts in passer rating with a 104.9 rating this season. It seems that the Texas Tech star is the Eagles star's main competition.
#2 - LB Micah Parsons - Dallas Cowboys
Micah Parsons deserves to be on this list as one of the best defensive players this season. The Dallas Cowboys star linebacker is third in the NFL this season with 12 sacks. Parsons is tied for sixth in tackles for loss with 13 to go with his 52 tackles and three forced fumbles.
The last time a defensive player won MVP was Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986. Parsons is looking to become the second defensive player in league history to win MVP and is building the resume to do so. Parsons presents a legitimate concern for Jalen Hurts in the MVP race.
#3 - QB Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
Allen has been one of the league's top quarterbacks over the last couple of seasons. In 12 starts for the Buffalo Bills this season, he's thrown for 3,406 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. While Allen is in the top five in the league in touchdowns and yards, he's also tied for second in interceptions.
Similar to Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen helps his team by using his legs. Allen has 581 yards rushing and five touchdowns, thus far. If the Bills star can put together some solid starts, he could make a late-season push for MVP over Jalen Hurts.
#4 - DE Nick Bosa - San Francisco 49ers
Bosa has proven, in his second season in the NFL, why he was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019. The former Ohio State star defensive end leads the NFL with 14.5 sacks to go with 15 tackles for loss. What makes his stats so interesting is that he's played in 11 games in the 2022 - 2023 season.
There's a chance he could reach 20 sacks this season. If so, Bosa might find his name on some MVP ballots. He could even challenge Jalen Hurts atop the MVP ballot.
#5 - QB Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa leads the NFL in passer rating with a 112 rating and is third in passing yards per game with 285.9 yards. He has been a major reason for the turnaround of the Miami Dolphins offense under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel.
The former Crimson Tide star is tied with Jalen Hurts with a completion percentage of 68.1 percent this season. Overall, he's on track to lead the Dolphins into the postseason, something that will boost his MVP case.