NFL Honors Leave KC Chiefs Without Winner for 2023-24 Season

Some members of the Chiefs got a handful of combined votes but overall, final finishes reflected what was a tumultuous campaign.
NFL Honors Leave KC Chiefs Without Winner for 2023-24 Season
NFL Honors Leave KC Chiefs Without Winner for 2023-24 Season /
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The annual NFL Honors red carpet and ceremony were held on Thursday night, although the Kansas City Chiefs had just one player seriously eligible for an award. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, one of 32 team representatives. Kansas City didn't have a true finalist for renowned awards like Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and more.

In some regards, final voting reflects narratives from the season. That works against the Chiefs, especially considering they had what many would deem a "down year" for their standards. Their turnaround — and, by default, a better representation of their value — didn't take place until right around the playoffs.

It surely wasn't a talent issue, as the team boasted a few All-Pros during the regular season and has the best player in the sport under center. It also has perhaps the best head coach in the league. Final voting results clearly aren't everything, as evidenced by the organization finding success anyway. 

Low MVP finish encapsulates regular season for Patrick Mahomes

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won his second NFL MVP award, and rightfully so. He was great during the regular season and non-quarterbacks like Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hill simply never stood great enough chances. Mahomes finished seventh in points, earning a pair of votes for third, fourth and fifth place each. This marked one of his worst finishes since taking over as a full-time starter in 2018, which unfortunately comes after an underwhelming statistical performance in the regular season.

In 16 starts, Mahomes posted career-low marks in touchdown percentage (4.5), success rate (48.2%), yards per attempt (7.0), yards per completion (10.4) and passer rating (92.6). Additionally, he turned the football over more often than he ever has. Not all of this is Mahomes's fault, as he dealt with personnel question marks for most of the regular season. His play has been nothing short of brilliant when it's mattered the most (January), so settling for a top-10 MVP result speaks to how great he is yearly. 

Rookie standing highlights that Rashee Rice's future is bright

After a great debut campaign, wide receiver Rashee Rice finished tied for sixth in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race. The SMU product logged one third-place vote, slotting in alongside Zay Flowers of the Baltimore Ravens and Jayden Reed of the Green Bay Packers. It's hard to disagree with his representation here, as he logged 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season.

Among all rookie receivers, Rice finished second in yards and was tied for third in scores. He also ranked third among all pass catchers in yards after the catch, which is a testament to how much he excels there. Rice came on strong down the stretch of the season, parlaying his increase in snaps into a more solidified role on offense. He's earned the trust of Mahomes, establishing himself as a top piece of the receiving corps moving forward. While he didn't come close to winning the Rookie of the Year prize, he was terrific nonetheless. 

Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo's coaching soars above lack of voting respect 

In a quarter-century as an NFL head coach, Andy Reid has just one AP Coach of the Year win (2002). Since then, he's logged a staggering 15 seasons with double-digit wins. Eight of those featured 12 or more victories during the regular season. One would think that for such a successful coach, voters would consider him the best in football for several of those aforementioned years. At the conclusion of Thursday night, though, the 65-year-old didn't get a single vote. This was far from the best season for him to get recognized, but it's a shock regardless. 

Among assistants, Steve Spagnuolo got more love. The Chiefs' star defensive coordinator finished sixth in Assistant Coach of the Year voting, getting one nod for first place, one for second place and three for third. That, at the least, is a deserving slot considering the Kansas City defense ranked among the top five in the league in a multitude of statistics. Chiefs players will tell you he's worthy of the award, but he generated more buzz than most of the franchise's vote-getters. 

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Jordan Foote
JORDAN FOOTE

Jordan Foote is the deputy editor of Kansas City Chiefs On SI. Foote is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media.