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The 2022 - 2023 National Football League Awards
Introduction
On Thursday, February 9th, 2023 the National Football League presented their annual awards at a ceremony celebrating the best players of the 2022 - 2023 NFL season. With Super Bowl LVII now only a couple of days away it is appropriate to award and honor all of the most exceptional players and coach from the past NFL regular - season.
NFL MVP Award
The 2022 - 2023 NFL Most Valuable Player Award went to the Kansas City Chiefs veteran starting quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. Patrick had the 2nd - 5,000 - yard season of his already illustrious and thrilling career in the National Football League.
Although Mahomes was unable to make it to 50 - touchdown passes during the 2022 - 2023 NFL season which he did accomplish during his first NFL MVP season of 2018 - 2019, he still managed to lead the NFL with 41 - touchdown passes this past NFL regular - season. Mahomes did have good statistics, but this award represented the manner in which Patrick led his Kansas City Chiefs to a fantastic season that has put them in the upcoming Super Bowl LVII.
Mahomes propelled the Kansas City Chiefs onto his shoulders over and over again throughout the last year, but never more so than when the Kansas City Chiefs needed him to come up big for his team the most.
His determination and spectacular quarterback play was demonstrated quite often like during the Kansas City Chiefs’ NFL week - 9 game versus the Tennessee Titans, when his Kansas City Chiefs’ offense was struggling. Patrick tossed a huge total of 68 - passes he led the Kansas City Chiefs on the ground with his legs by rushing for 63 - yards.
Then with the Kansas City Chiefs down by just 8 - points in the 4th - quarter of that match up against the Titans, Patrick scrambled for a 20 - yard run on a crucial 3rd - and - 17 enabling the Chiefs to keep their drive alive. He concluded that drive by scrambling once again for a rushing touchdown on another 3rd - and - long, and finally he miraculously tied the contest by running in the Kansas City Chiefs 2 - point conversion following that touchdown. The Kansas City Chiefs eventually went on to win that game in dramatic fashion in the overtime period.
Mahomes’ Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- Super Bowl Champion (LIV)
- Super Bowl MVP Award Winner (LIV)
- 2 - Time NFL Most Valuable Player Award Winner (2018, 2022)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award Winner (2018)
- 2 - Time First - Team NFL All - Pro Selection (2018, 2022)
- Second - Team NFL All - Pro Selection (2020)
- 5 - Time NFL Pro Bowl Selection (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
- 2 - Time NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader (2018, 2022)
- NFL Passing Yards Leader (2022)
- Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Award Winner (2020)
- Bert Bell Award Winner (2018)
- Sammy Baugh Trophy Award Winner (2016)
- Second - Team All - Big - 12 Selection (2016)
- FBS Passing Yards Leader (2016)
NFL Offensive Player of the Year
The 2022 - 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award went to the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver in Justin Jefferson. Justin just came off one of the best NFL seasons for a wide receiver in the history of the National Football League in 2022 - 2023. Jefferson led the NFL with 128 - catches, became one of only 7 - players ever to compile over 1,800 - receiving yards in a single season with his 1,809 - receiving yards, and he also made one of the most spectacular catches of the past year, a one - handed reception to convert on an important 4th - and - 18 during a comeback win for the Minnesota Vikings over the Buffalo Bills.
During Jefferson’s amazing 2022 - 2023 NFL campaign, Justin busted some of the Minnesota Vikings franchise records for receptions as well as yards in a single NFL season, held by some of the best ever NFL wide receivers in the Pro Football Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss, respectively. Jefferson has done that prior to his 24th - birthday, and Justin has publicly stated that he has plenty of room to improve as a top tier wide receiver in the National Football League.
"I can always get better at things," Justin Jefferson expressed following the Minnesota Vikings season ending. "I'm not a perfect person. I'm not the perfect receiver. ... There's always room for improvement, and I'm definitely going to be improving as much as possible this offseason."
Jefferson’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award Winner (2022)
- First - Team NFL All - Pro Selection (2022)
- 2 - Time Second - Team NFL All - Pro Selection (2020, 2021)
- 3 - Time NFL Pro Bowl Selection (2020, 2021, 2022)
- NFL Receptions Leader (2022)
- NFL Receiving Yards Leader (2022)
- PFWA All - Rookie Team Selection (2020)
- CFP National Champion (2019)
- Second - Team All - SEC Selection (2019)
NFL Defensive Player of the Year
This season’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award goes to the San Francisco 49ers explosive defensive end, Nick Bosa. Following an end - of - the - season victory versus the Washington Commanders, Nick, who very infrequently discusses his individual accomplishments, has recently recognized that he has always dreamed and hoped to someday winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award since he was a young boy, and now he has accomplished that feat.
Nick was regularly the most dominant defensive players in the National Football League during the 2022 - 2023 NFL season, as he recorded a league - leading as well as career - high 18.5 - sacks, to go along with his 51 - tackles, 2 - forced fumbles, and 58 - quarterback pressures on the defensive line of the San Francisco 49ers which was good for the 3rd - most in the NFL in the 16 - games that Bosa played in this past NFL season.
This NFL DPOY Award comes just after 2 - years after Bosa endured a torn ACL in his left knee during the San Francisco 49ers’ NFL week - 2 game of the 2020 - 2022 NFL season. Nick bounced back very strong from that ACL injury with his 15.5 - sacks during the NFL 2021 - 2022 NFL season, but Bosa felt like he was unable to complete that season with as many quarterback sacks as he believed that he should have recorded.
"I think everybody here knows that he is just elite and he's the best," the San Francisco 49ers veteran linebacker Fred Warner explained. "He put the stamp on it. That's what you need from your best players to make plays where it matters the most. I'm so happy for him and I'm so proud of him."
Bosa’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award Winner (2022)
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2019)
- First - Team NFL All - Pro Selection (2022)
- 3 - Time NFL Pro Bowl Selection (2019, 2021, 2022)
- Deacon Jones Award Winner (2022)
- PFWA All - Rookie Team Selection (2019)
- First - Team All - American Selection (2017)
- First - Team All - Big Ten Selection (2017)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to the New York Jets rookie wide receiver, Garrett Wilson. Wilson is the first player in the New York Jets franchise history to win the National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
After several dropped passes in the New York Jets’ training camp as well as a very average NFL regular - season opening game, Garrett shattered expectations during the New York Jets’ NFL week - 2 match up as Wilson came up with a game - winning touchdown catch vs. the Cleveland Browns. Following that performance, Garrett then quickly rose to the number -1 wide receiver role in the New York Jets' offensive line - up.
After being Drafted 10th - overall in the NFL draft, Wilson completed the 2022 - 2023 NFL season with 83 - receptions which was good for 1,103 - receiving yards as well as 4 - touchdowns catches, as Wilson became the 1st - New York Jets rookie. Garrett became just the 23rd - NFL rookie to get to the 1,000 - yard + receiving arena. Wilson reached those milestone statistics with a below - average quarterback or so, demonstating how influential Garrett was for the New York Jets’ offensive this past NFL season. Wilson managed to lead all rookie wide receiver in receptions as well as receiving yards this past NFL regular - season.
Wilson distanced himself from the rest of the young wide receivers in the league due to his ability to create separation from defenders trying to cover him downfield. Garrett possesses exceptional body control as well as his sneaky stop - and - start accelerating speed. Wilson was able to break away from the NFL’s defensive backs at the top of his routes and in the open field as he compiled a lot of yards after the catch with the football in his possession.
At particular times during the 2022 - 2023 NFL season, Wilson carried the New York Jets’ air attack even without a top tier quarterback, as Garrett put together a total of 6 - games with at least 90 - receiving yards and 5 - games where he was targeted a minimum of least 11 - attempts. The New York Jets have a checkered past when it comes to drafting offensive skill position players, but the New York Jets struck gold with Garrett Wilson.
Wilson’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2022)
- PFWA All - Rookie Team Selection (2022)
- First - Team All - Big Ten Selection (2020)
- Second - Team All - Big Ten Selection (2021)
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award this season went to Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets. He was selected by the New York Jets with the 4th - overall NFL Draft pick in 2022, and Sauce managed to set 3 - individual goals for his rookie season. The first being selected to the NFL Pro Bowl, the second making it to becoming a First - Team NFL All - Pro, and the third being wining NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (which he just did).
Gardner became the very 1st - New York Jets rookie to be named a First - Team NFL All - Pro as well as the 5th - New York Jet to win Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (the 1st - since Sheldon Richardson way back in the year of 2013.) Sauce has drawn comparisons to the former New York Jets’ great cover - cornerback in Darrelle Revis, who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
Gardner’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award Winner (2022)
- First - Team NFL All - Pro Selection (2022)
- NFL Pro Bowl Selection (2022)
- PFWA All - Rookie Team Selection (2022)
- AAC Defensive Player of the Year Award Winner (2021)
- Consensus All - American Selection (2021)
- 3 - Time First - Team All - AAC Selection (2019, 2020, 2021)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award recipient this past NFL regular - season was Geno Smith. Geno does not really fit within the constructs of this usual winner of the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award due to the fact he did not come back from a serious injury or a down NFL season, but it was a solid comeback performance, nonetheless. Geno went from a back - up quarterback role for the majority of the last 7 - seasons in the National Football League to an NFL Pro Bowl selection as well as one of the league’s best quarterbacks throughout the 2022 - 2023 NFL regular - season.
Smith’s total of 8 - year NFL career was defined as the NFL's longest time between being an original opening - day NFL starting QB to return back to doing so since way back in the year of 1971. Smith was actually not even anticipated to be the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback until following the Russell Wilson trade that occurred last March of 2022, but Geno out played the Seattle Seahawks other quarterback in Drew Lock for the starting spot, and he never had to look back since then.
Smith completed the past NFL season ranking 6th in Total QBR at a mark of 60.8, 1st - in completion rate at 69.8 %, and 4th - in touchdown passes with 30 of those. Geno broke Russell Wilson’s NFL single - season Seattle Seahawks franchise records for completions with 399, passing yards with 4,282, as well as completion rate. Geno's NFL career best season came at just the perfect time, as he is now scheduled to become an unrestricted NFL free agent come this March of 2023 and he should earn a nice contract due to his performance during the past NFL season.
Smith’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award Winner (2022)
- NFL Pro Bowl Selection (2022)
- NFL Completion Percentage Leader (2022)
- First - Team All - Big East Selection (2011)
- Second - Team All - Big East Selection (2010)
NFL Coach of the Year
Brian Daboll was the latest recipient of the NFL Coach of the Year Award for his work throughout the 2022 - 2023 NFL season. Brian took his New York Giants team that had previously lost a minimum of 10 - football games each of the past 5 - NFL seasons, and Daboll took his proud NFL franchise in the New York Giants back to the NFL postseason in his 1st - year as their head coach. Daboll did it with a team roster that was not very impressive or overly talented as well. That is why Brian really deserved to be named the NFL’s coach of the year.
The New York “Football” Giants won 9 - contests even though they had their NFL preseason top 4 - wide receivers either on the NFL’s injured reserve list, stuck riding the pine, or not on the New York Giants official team roster by the end of the 2022 - 2023 NFL season. Daboll set a strong and influential tone right from the start of the last NFL season by uniting his group of players as well as earning their unwavering trust when he decided to go for it on a 2 - point conversion to secure the victory versus the Tennessee Titans in the final minutes of the New York Giants week - 1 NFL regular - season game.
The New York Giants superstar running back, Saquon Barkley, made a point to specifically mentioning that moment as being quite galvanizing. When he was asked if his head coach in Brian Daboll should be the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award winner, Barkley responded by saying, "I think so," Saquon emphatically stated that following the New York Giants clinched their first NFL playoff berth in some years this past NFL season.
Sources:
“2023 NFL Honors: Who won the league's biggest awards?”, espn.com, Thursday, February 9, 2023.
“Patrick Mahomes”, pro-football-reference.com, Friday, February 10, 2023.
“Justin Jefferson”, pro-football-reference.com, Friday, February 10, 2023.
“Nick Bosa”, pro-football-reference.com, Friday, February 10, 2023.
“Garrett Wilson”, pro-football-reference.com, Friday, February 10, 2023.
“Sauce Gardner”, pro-football-reference.com, Friday, February 10, 2023.
“Geno Smith”, Pro Football Reference, Friday, February 10, 2023.