2020 NFL Honors: Aaron Rodgers wins third NFL MVP award

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers held off Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen to win his third NFL MVP award.

As is tradition, the NFL Honors show takes place on the night before the Super Bowl. The 2020 edition was done differently than in years past due to the coronavirus pandemic. Still, the awards were handed out, and one of the more debated honors was who deserved to be NFL MVP.

On Saturday the votes were tallied and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was named the 2020 NFL MVP.  Rodgers received 44 out of 50 votes, while Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen received four and Kansas City Chiefs signal caller Patrick Mahomes earned two votes.

Rodgers joins some illustrious company

This is now the third time that Rodgers was named league MVP. Rodgers now joins the likes of Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Brett Favre and Tom Brady as the only individuals to win MVP trophy No. 3. The only person to win more was 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Peyton Manning.

Prior to the start of the 2020 league year, the Packers were one of the most scrutinized teams in the league. After falling just short of reaching Super Bowl 54, the front office didn’t really do much to add playmakers around Rodgers. Instead, they selected Rodgers’ eventual successor in Jordan Love in the first round of this past year’s NFL Draft. To the shock of everyone, the lack of offseason additions did not deter Rodgers, as his play helped lead the Packers to the NFC Championship Game.

Through16 regular-season games, Rodgers completed 70.7-percent of his passes for 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Here are the other players who emerged as winners at the 2020 NFL Honors show:

• Walter Payton Man of the Year: Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson
• AP Coach of the Year: Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski
• AP Offensive Player of the Year: Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry
• AP Defensive Player of the Year: Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald
• AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert
• AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Washington Football Team DE Chase Young
• AP Comeback Player of the Year: Washington Football Team QB Alex Smith
• Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award: Carolina Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater
• Deacon Jones Award: Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt
• AP Assistant Coach of the Year: Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll
• FedEX Air and Ground Players of the Year: Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers / Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry
• DraftKings Breakout Daily Fantasy Player of the Year: Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen
• Bridgestone Clutch Performance Play of the Year: Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray Hail Mary touchdown pass to WR DeAndre Hopkins vs. Buffalo Bills (Week 10)
• Fan of the Year: Tennessee Titans fan Brandon Galloway
• Bud Light Celly of the Year: Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate Chase Claypool touchdown vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 11)