Winning the MVP award is the highest individual honor for a football player, rewarding the best player of the season. However, the quarterbacks have historically dominated the race for the MVP award. Besides the winners, the finalists are also usually filled with top signal-callers— so much so that the last non-QB to win the honor was the Minnesota Vikings legend and running back Adrian Peterson in 2012. That means quarterbacks have won the award in each of the past 13 seasons, including Matthew Stafford, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Tom Brady, and more.
Nevertheless, there is always a possibility that an elite season could land a non-quarterback on the MVP list, as the new season is set to start in September. On that note, Jared Dubin of CBS Sports ranked the top non-QB stars from each NFC team who could make a serious push for the MVP list, including the Detroit Lions.
From the Lions, it is not the recently made highest-paid running back in the league, Jahmyr Gibbs, who could be the non-QB MVP dark horse for the award. Dubin picked the offensive lineman Penei Sewell as the frontrunner, who might have a shot at landing on the MVP radar.
Sewell is already a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro-Bowler, and there are reasons he could be an MVP contender.
Why Penei Sewell Could Enter the MVP Conversation
Since debuting for the Lions in 2021, Sewell has been one of the key cornerstones of the offense besides Jared Goff, making him truly a valuable player. Under pressure, Jared Goff’s production took a hit. Historically, when Sewell was in charge of the O-Line, he played a big role in keeping the pocket stable.
GettyJahmyr Gibbs and Penei Sewell
The Lions struggled last season, finishing at the bottom of the NFC North table, but Sewell kept his production high. Playing at right tackle, he had a 95.1 overall PFF grade, holding first place among all OLs in the NFL. In addition, he ranked first in run blocking with a grade of 96.6. While he took 998 snaps for the Lions, the four-time Pro Bowler allowed only 19 total pressures when it comes to pass protection.
Playing 16 regular-season games last season, the 25-year-old allowed only two sacks and committed two penalties, showing his effectiveness in protecting Jared Goff. If he takes those numbers to another level, he could become an MVP contender, but it also means he would have the chance to make a unique NFL record.
No Offensive Lineman Has Ever Won the MVP Award
The official NFL MVP award was first introduced in 1957, but only a handful of non-quarterbacks have won the award. What makes it even more surprising is that no offensive lineman has won the title yet, which makes Sewell’s chances of winning very slim.
Penei Sewell will move to left tackle
Nevertheless, the Pro Bowler is expected to better his numbers this season because he is set to play in his natural left tackle position, where he played in college football. Taylor Decker, who played as the left tackle for years, left the franchise this offseason, vacating the position. With the right tackle slot up for grabs, the rookie first-round OL Blake Miller is a frontrunner to start.
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