The Pro Football Writers of America announced their selection for 2017 NFL MVP is New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. This is Brady’s third PFWA MVP award (2007, 2010, 2017), but it should not be confused with the Associated Press MVP award which is considered the standard in MVP discussions.
Brady led the NFL with 4,577 passing yards and ranked third in the NFL with 32 touchdown passes and a 102.8 passer rating, leading the Patriots to the top seed in the AFC.
The PFWA MVP award is a good indicator of which player will win the AP MVP award. Each PFWA MVP dating back to 2004 also won the AP MVP award, and 25 of the past 30 PFWA MVP winners also won the AP MVP award.
The only exceptions also go in favor of Brady since the PFWA prefers skill players, while the AP gives more credit to quarterbacks.
- 1987: PFWA MVP - 49ers WR Jerry Rice; AP MVP - Broncos QB John Elway.
- 1990: PFWA MVP - Eagles QB Randall Cunningham; AP MVP - 49ers QB Joe Montana
- 1997: PFWA MVP - Lions RB Barry Sanders; AP MVP - shared Packers QB Brett Favre and Sanders
- 2001: PFWA MVP - Rams RB Marshall Faulk; AP MVP - Rams QB Kurt Warner
- 2003: PFWA MVP - Ravens RB Jamal Lewis; AP MVP - shared Colts QB Peyton Manning and Titans QB Steve McNair
In all five of these deviations between the PFWA MVP and AP MVP, the AP winner was a quarterback. And since Brady is competing with Rams running back Todd Gurley for the MVP award, it is extremely like that the Patriots quarterback will ultimately receive the AP distinction.