Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - A pair of Buffalo Bills players have been named finalists for league honors for the 2023 NFL regular season on Thursday.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen has, once again, been named one of five finalists for NFL's Most Valuable Player. It is the third time in his career (2020 and 2022) where he earned votes as a finalist for league MVP.
The 27-year-old led the entire NFL with 4,678 yards of total offense this season, as well as 44 total touchdowns. His 4,306 passing yards was good enough for fourth place in the league this season, while his 29 passing touchdowns put him in a tie for fifth place.
Allen's 15 rushing touchdowns was good enough to tie Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for the most in the NFL by a quarterback, and second in the league overall, only behind Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert's 18 rushing scores.
The other four finalists for NFL MVP this season include:
- Lamar Jackson - QB - Baltimore Ravens
- Dak Prescott - QB - Dallas Cowboys
- Brock Purdy - QB - San Francisco 49ers
- Christian McCaffrey - RB - San Francisco 49ers
Meanwhile, Bills safety Damar Hamlin is one of five finalists named for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2023.
Hamlin returned to play in five regular season games this year after nearly losing his life late last year in a Week 17 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. In those five games, he played mainly on special teams, but still managed to register two tackles in action on defense.
The third-year safety went into cardiac arrest in the first quarter of that game on Jan. 2, 2023 after an episode of commotio cordis while making a routine tackle. The Bills' training and medical staff immediately performed CPR on the field and needed the help of an AED in order to save his life.
Hamlin was able to make a full recovery, and was back to full football activities just a few months after the incident.
The other four finalists for NFL Comeback Player of the Year this season include:
- Joe Flacco - QB - Cleveland Browns
- Baker Mayfield - QB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Matthew Stafford - QB - Los Angeles Rams
- Tua Tagovailoa - QB - Miami Dolphins
The 2023 NFL Honors ceremony will take place on Thursday, Feb. 8 in Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl LVIII being played on Sunday, Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium.
A complete list of NFL Honors finalists can be found here:
