A number of Corridor of Famers and NFL greats have been named Tremendous Bowl MVP over time. Patrick Mahomes has been the MVP of each Tremendous Bowl he has gained. In the meantime, Tom Brady has gained 5 Tremendous Bowl MVP awards.
Concurrently, some lesser-known people stunned all people and had the very best recreation of their lives within the Tremendous Bowl. Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith, who by no means made a Professional Bowl and performed for six completely different groups, was named the MVP of Tremendous Bowl XLVIII after he recorded a pick-six, a fumble restoration, and ten tackles. Defensive again Dexter Jackson, who by no means earned All-Professional or Professional Bowl honors, is one other participant who was named a Tremendous Bowl MVP regardless of not having a stellar profession outdoors of the massive recreation.
Something can occur within the Tremendous Bowl. Whereas Mahomes and Saquon Barkley might find yourself being the sport’s most precious participant, there are a couple of people on each squads who might stun NFL followers and be named MVP.
Listed here are 4 darkish horse candidates who can win Tremendous Bowl LIX MVP honors.
Dallas Goedert, TE. Eagles
It’s no secret that I’ve been excessive on Dallas Goedert ever since Philly punched its ticket to Tremendous Bowl LIX. He’s fifth within the playoffs in receiving yards (188) and second in receptions (15). These are his numbers amongst all postseason pass-catchers. When taking a look at solely tight ends, he’s second in receptions, second in first downs, and first in receiving yards.
Goedert had a down common season, however that’s as a result of he missed time attributable to harm. Although he solely performed in ten regular-season matchups, he nonetheless managed to make 42 catches for 496 receiving yards and two touchdowns, which equates to 49.6 yards per recreation. Whereas that doesn’t sound like rather a lot, that ranks sixth amongst all tight ends within the NFL this season. What’s even crazier is that the opposite 5 tight ends who averaged extra yards per recreation than him had been all named to the Professional Bowl.
Although Kansas Metropolis did job of containing the Buffalo Payments’ tight ends, that was not the case after they performed the Houston Texans. Houston’s tight ends had been solely focused 5 occasions within the Divisional Spherical, however they caught all 5 of these passes for 65 receiving yards. No disrespect to Dalton Schultz and Irv Smith Jr., however I feel Dallas Goedert is a way more critical receiving menace than both a kind of guys.
With two weeks of preparation and a Chiefs protection that’s permitting 20.5% of all passing yards to go to tight ends, I feel Dallas Goedert might be an enormous a part of Philly’s offense in the event that they find yourself successful this Sunday.
Kareem Hunt, RB. Chiefs
Rookie vast receiver Xavier Worthy was my different alternative for the Chiefs’ offensive MVP darkish horse, however I don’t truly suppose anyone can be all that shocked if Worthy finally ends up being named the sport’s most precious participant. He leads KC in receptions this postseason and is second in receiving yards behind solely Travis Kelce.
Contemplating how common he has been this postseason, I feel Kareem Hunt can be a way more shocking MVP winner.
In his eighth yr as a professional, the 2017 NFL speeding yards chief was signed to the Chiefs’ follow squad in September after beginning working again Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula in Week Two. Although Pacheco returned to motion in Week 13, he has not regarded the identical since then, averaging simply 29.3 speeding yards per recreation over his final seven begins.
With Pacheco struggling, Hunt has been the bell-cow again for Kansas Metropolis. He has averaged 54 yards and a landing per recreation within the playoffs. Be mindful, he put up these numbers towards the Texans (ranked first towards the run within the playoffs) and the Payments (ranked sixth towards the run within the playoffs).
For the reason that Eagles are surrendering 4.5 yards per speeding try, I might see Kareem Hunt going for 90+ yards and two speeding touchdowns this weekend. If Patrick Mahomes is held to lower than 220 passing yards and just one landing, then Hunt’s efficiency needs to be ok to earn him MVP honors.
Reed Blankenship, DB. Eagles
The Eagles’ protection is completely stacked. Defensive lineman Jalen Carter has emerged as one of many league’s most dominant gamers with an astounding 20 whole pressures within the playoffs. Linebacker Zack Baun has performed like a Defensive Participant of the 12 months candidate with 26 whole tackles, a pressured fumble, an interception, and two fumble recoveries.
I might see both a kind of guys doubtlessly being named the MVP of Tremendous Bowl LIX. Nonetheless, defensive again Reed Blankenship might come out of nowhere and be named the sport’s most precious participant.
Blankenship has 24 whole tackles within the postseason, the fourth-most amongst all gamers and second-most amongst safeties. Based on Professional Soccer Focus, he has additionally only allowed seven receptions within the playoffs, the third-fewest amongst 49 postseason safeties. To prime issues off, he pressured a fumble towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers and made an important fumble restoration within the NFC Championship Recreation.
His stat line has been terrific, and he should replicate that sort of efficiency within the Tremendous Bowl if he desires to win MVP.
I totally count on him to rack up a number of tackles. In any case, he’s averaging eight whole tackles per recreation within the playoffs. Sadly, making a variety of tackles gained’t be sufficient to win him Tremendous Bowl MVP. Blankenship might want to trigger a minimum of one turnover (both a pressured fumble, fumble restoration, or interception) and report a minimum of half a sack if he desires to be named the sport’s most precious participant.
Nick Bolton, LB. Chiefs
Defensive lineman Chirs Jones has been Kansas Metropolis’s finest defender for a number of years now. He has been named an All-Professional six occasions whereas additionally incomes Professional Bowl honors six occasions. He will get a variety of the credit score and a focus for the Chiefs’ success, and rightfully so! However linebacker Nick Bolton has been an unsung hero for KC.
As a rookie, Bolton recorded 112 whole tackles. Then, in 2022 – when the Chiefs started this run of three straight Tremendous Bowl appearances – he upped his deal with output to 180 in the course of the common season (second-most within the NFL). Although he missed a number of video games in 2023, he led all gamers in whole tackles final postseason with 40.
Bolton may not lead the Chiefs in tackles this postseason, however he has performed 135 defensive snaps, which is the seventh-most total snaps amongst 53 linebackers within the playoffs, based on PFF. The truth that he performs a lot makes him a major candidate to be MVP.
He’ll have to get after the quarterback if he desires to be essentially the most beneficial participant of Tremendous Bowl LIX. Fortunately, he has proven a capability to hurry the passer. Amongst playoff linebackers, he’s sixth in move rush snaps and fourth in whole pressures.
Bolton will have to be higher in move protection, although. Regardless of enjoying the seventh-most protection snaps amongst postseason linebackers, he ranks thirty second in passer ranking allowed.
Equally to Reed Blankenship, Nick Bolton will seemingly report many tackles. I might see him having six whole tackles on the very least. If he sacks Philly’s quarterback a few times and in addition data a few batted passes, then he may have a powerful case to be the Tremendous Bowl MVP.
