For the past 11 seasons, the Associated Press (AP) First-Team All-Pro quarterback has typically gone on to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. However, this year broke the trend.

In a surprising twist, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen narrowly edged out Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson for the 2025 NFL MVP, despite Jackson being named the All-Pro First-Team QB just weeks prior.

This marks only the third time since the AP began awarding MVPs in 1961 that a player won the MVP without being a First-Team All-Pro.

Breaking Down the MVP Race

The All-Pro Votes: Jackson Had the Edge

Lamar Jackson appeared to be the front-runner after securing the majority of first-team All-Pro votes:

• Jackson – 30 first-place votes, 19 second-place votes
• Allen – 18 first-place votes, 24 second-place votes
• Joe Burrow (CIN) – 2 first-place votes, 9 second-place votes

At this point, history suggested Jackson had the inside track to the MVP. But then the MVP voting told a different story.

What Changed in the MVP Voting?

The MVP race took a shift as several voters weighed their choices differently:

• Jackson and Allen finished 1st and 2nd on 48 of 50 ballots (Burrow and Saquon Barkley each received a single second-place vote).
• However, Allen gained 9 more first-place votes than in the All-Pro voting, while Jackson lost 7.

Final point totals for the MVP:

• Josh Allen – 383 points
• Lamar Jackson – 362 points

(Scoring system: 10 points for 1st place, 5 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd, 2 for 4th, and 1 for 5th).

This subtle but crucial shift propelled Allen to victory.

Did Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) Play a Role?

While MVP traditionally favors quarterbacks, the Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) award often goes to other skill positions. This year, Saquon Barkley took home the award, but Jackson finished second—well ahead of Allen.

OPOY Voting:

• Saquon Barkley – Winner
• Lamar Jackson – 2nd place (12 first-place votes)
• Josh Allen – 6th place (1 first-place vote)

Interestingly, nine voters who picked Jackson as OPOY still voted Allen as MVP, helping shift the final result.

Jackson became the first player to finish 2nd in both MVP and OPOY since Drew Brees in 2018.

Has This Ever Happened Before?

Only two other times in NFL history has a player won MVP after not being a First-Team All-Pro:

• 2003 – Steve McNair (MVP) over Peyton Manning (All-Pro QB)
  • Manning was First-Team All-Pro but shared the MVP with McNair.
  • MVP voting only had first-place choices at the time, and they tied with 16 votes each.
• 1987 – John Elway (MVP) over Joe Montana (All-Pro QB)
  • Montana was First-Team All-Pro, but MVP votes were split due to Jerry Rice’s historic season (22 TDs).
  • Elway won MVP with 36 votes, Rice had 30, and Montana finished with 18.

Both previous instances had unique circumstances, much like this year’s close battle between Allen and Jackson.

Conclusion: A Historic MVP Race

Josh Allen’s MVP win over Lamar Jackson was a rare deviation from the usual voting patterns. The difference in how voters viewed All-Pro vs. MVP criteria, combined with Jackson’s strong push for OPOY, led to a surprising but well-earned victory for Allen.

While Jackson was arguably the most consistent player all season, it was Allen’s overall impact and perception among MVP voters that ultimately gave him the edge.

With such a close race, this will surely be a debated MVP decision for years to come.

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