NFL
Patrick Mahomes Is Already the Betting Favorite to Win the 2020 NFL MVP Award
Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.
Get to know Joe Kozlowski betterPublished30 Mar 2020
Since the 2020 NFL season is still months away, there’s still plenty of uncertainty. Given the spread of the coronavirus, it’s unclear if the games will begin as planned. Once the players hit the field, how much of an impact will offseason acquisitions, like Tom Brady, have on their new teams? One thing is sure, though: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a good shot at being named league MVP.
While the NFL season won’t be starting anytime soon, the bookmakers already have the betting odds ready to go. Is picking Patrick Mahomes for league MVP a sure shot? Or is it a bad bet?
Patrick Mahomes’ impressive NFL career
Sometimes, a single player can change the course of an entire franchise. Patrick Mahomes did just that for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs, of course, traded up to select Mahomes 10th overall in the 2017 NFL draft. While Andy Reid and the front office saw plenty of potential in the young quarterback, they didn’t throw him straight into the fire; the rookie spent his first season sitting behind Alex Smith, learning the ropes of an NFL offense.
In 2018, however, Mahomes burst onto the scene in a major way. In his first season as a starter, the quarterback threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns; while the Chiefs fell short of the ultimate prize, Mahomes claimed the NFL MVP Award.
While Mahomes 2019 numbers weren’t as gaudy, the quarterback still put together an impressive campaign. Despite missing a few games and battling through some nagging injuries, he threw for 4,031 yards and 26 touchdowns; he also looked more mature and seemed more comfortable throwing the ball away, rather than forcing a bad pass or taking a sack. The young quarterback also showed up when his team needed him the most, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title in 50 years.
Early odds for the 2020 NFL MVP
While it remains to be seen if the 2020 NFL season will even happen as planned, the bookmakers are already prepared. If you’re feeling especially confident—or lucky—the new season’s MVP odds are ready to go.
According to William Hill sportsbook, Patrick Mahomes is the early favorite to claim most valuable player honors. Baltimore Ravens quarterback and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson comes in second, with Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, and Deshaun Watson rounding out the top five.
Quarterbacks, as usual, have the best shot at taking home the title, but a handful of running backs do make the list. Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa also have identical 100/1 odds, if you’re especially confident that either rookie will make an immediate impact.
Does Patrick Mahomes have what it takes to win another NFL MVP award?
It goes without saying that Patrick Mahomes has the talent to do anything on the football field, including taking home another league MVP award. Certain situations, though, are out of the young quarterback’s hands.
In Baltimore, we’ll have to see how Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens respond to their newfound status. Last year, they took the league by storm; will they be able to repeat the feat against defenses who have specifically game-planned to stop their running game?
It’s also worth keeping tabs on Tom Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay. Even if the veteran doesn’t put up eye-popping numbers, he has a potential narrative advantage. The Chiefs and Ravens are supposed to be good; if Brady can carry the Buccaneers to the playoffs, he’ll have proved how valuable he is to the franchise.
While Patrick Mahomes is the odds-on favorite, it’s not like he already has one hand on the trophy. With that being said, however, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has already shown the risks of betting against him.
