September is the month when a new NFL season opens as the Kansas City Chiefs try to defend their championship. Despite Patrick Mahomes being the main factor in their Super Bowl victory six months ago, he doesn’t appear as the odds favorite to win the MVP.
Mahomes has had a stellar career so far in his first six seasons in the league. Starting for just five of them, the Chiefs reached the AFC Championship Game each one of those years. Moreover, they won two titles in three appearances in the biggest matchup.
His performance in the regular season was the reason why Kansas City finished with the best record in the conference. Mahomes’ play granted him his second MVP after receiving the trophy in 2018 too. However, another talented player has jumped over him in the initial projections.
Joe Burrow Leads Tight Three-Player MVP Race
The Chiefs’ biggest threat since Mahomes entered the league has been the Cincinnati Bengals. Until last year’s AFC Championship Game, Joe Burrow was 3-0 against Kansas City, something that no other quarterback was able to do.
Burrow suffered a calf injury in training camp that shouldn’t cause him to miss time, but he remains a candidate for oddsmakers. Joe Cool leads the race to be the Most Valuable Player with odds of +600, according to BetMGM numbers.
Behind the Bengals QB is Mahomes with narrow odds of +650 to win it for the third time. In third place another megastar looms: Buffalo Bills’ best player Josh Allen, who completes the podium with odds of +750 not too far away.