Josh Allen Edges Lamar Jackson to Win 2024 NFL MVP in Rare Award Split
For the past 11 seasons, winning the AP First-Team All-Pro quarterback honor almost guaranteed taking home the NFL MVP award. However, in a rare turn of events, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen narrowly defeated Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, despite finishing second in All-Pro voting.
This marks only the third time since the AP began awarding MVP honors in 1961 that a player has won MVP without being named First-Team All-Pro.
How the All-Pro Votes Were Split
Jackson had the edge in All-Pro voting, securing 30 of the 50 first-place votes from a national panel of media members. Allen followed with 18 first-place votes and 24 second-place votes, while Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow earned the remaining two first-place votes along with nine second-place votes.
With Jackson winning the majority of All-Pro votes, many assumed he was the MVP favorite—until the final ballots were cast.
What Changed in MVP Voting?
While Jackson and Allen finished first and second on 48 of 50 MVP ballots, Allen gained nine additional first-place votes compared to the All-Pro voting, while Jackson lost seven. This swing proved to be the difference.
Allen ultimately secured 383 total points, using a scoring system that awards:
- 10 points for a first-place vote
- 5 points for second
- 3 points for third
- 2 points for fourth
- 1 point for fifth
Jackson, despite his dominant All-Pro vote count, finished with 362 points, just 21 points shy of Allen.
The Role of Offensive Player of the Year
The AP also votes on the Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY), an award that has trended toward non-quarterbacks in recent years.
- New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley won OPOY.
- Lamar Jackson finished second, earning 12 first-place votes.
- Josh Allen placed sixth, receiving just one first-place vote.
Interestingly, nine of the voters who picked Jackson as Offensive Player of the Year also chose Allen as MVP, further contributing to the flipped results between the two awards.
A Historic MVP Runner-Up Finish for Jackson
Jackson became the first player since Drew Brees in 2018 to finish second in both MVP and Offensive Player of the Year voting. While he fell short in the MVP race, Jackson’s strong season further cements his status as one of the league’s premier quarterbacks.
For Allen, this MVP victory adds another milestone to his impressive career, proving that regular-season dominance, leadership, and a strong finish to the season can make all the difference in MVP voting—even without the First-Team All-Pro title.
