The stage is set for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the San Francisco 49ers in a repeat of the 2020 contest.
That game saw Patrick Mahomes lead a fourth-quarter comeback as the Chiefs claimed their first Super Bowl for 50 years, with the Kansas City quarterback duly landing MVP honours.
Mahomes added a second MVP gong 12 months ago when the Chiefs saw off the Eagles, but will he claim a third in just his eighth NFL season?
A Super Bowl MVP trophy means football immortality to the recipient and here is a look at the front-runners to claim the prize this year (all odds correct at time of writing).
Patrick Mahomes (13/10)
It should come as little surprise that Mahomes is the bookmakers’ favourite to land the MVP award. He is the best player in the sport and despite having a - relatively, by his standards - down year, he heads to Las Vegas in dangerous form.
If the Chiefs do beat the 49ers, it’s hard to see how Mahomes doesn’t win this individual award for the best player on display.
Brock Purdy (2/1)
The Super Bowl MVP is a quarterback-heavy award, with signal-callers having won 32 out of the 57 prizes on offer to date. Therefore, should the Niners end their 29-year wait to lift the Lombardi, you would have to fancy Purdy’s chances of earning the award and doing something no other final draft pick has ever done before.
Christian McCaffrey (4/1)
The first non-QB on the bookies’ list is the NFL’s rushing leader. McCaffrey has been a wrecking ball this season, finding the end zone at will and has the tools to hurt the Kansas City defense. However, it’s been 27 years since a running back has won the award (Terrell Davis for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII, since you asked).
Travis Kelce (14/1)
A tight end has never won the Super Bowl MVP award, but Kelce is arguably the best of his position ever to play in the big game. After a relatively quiet regular season, Kelce has been key in the Chiefs play-off run. It’s also worth remembering how the award is voted for - a panel of 16 writers and broadcasters submit a ballot which makes up 80 per cent of the vote tally, with the remaining 20 per cent coming from a public vote. We have a hunch Kelce might do well on a public vote this year…
Deebo Samuel (25/1)
Deebo Samuel certainly has the playmaking ability to be the game’s key difference-maker. While his role in the rushing game has not been as pronounced as it was a year ago, he showed guts to return from a shoulder injury in last week’s Championship game, making eight catches for 89 yards and is a key part of the 49ers offense.
Isiah Pacheco (30/1)
The Chiefs running back played a key part in their Super Bowl win over the Eagles last season as a rookie and has improved this year, with his powerful running style the type of attack that the 49ers have struggled against in recent weeks.
Brandon Aiyuk (35/1)
The Niners receiver pulled off a sensational play in last weekend’s win over the Lions that sparked the Niners’ comeback when he made a diving catch after a Purdy pass thumped onto Kindle Vildor’s facemask. Should he be able to pull off another signature play in Vegas, then he could land MVP honours.
George Kittle (60/1)
As mentioned above, no tight end has won the award in the previous 57 Super Bowls, but few playing the game have been as good as Kittle. For all the devasting blocking he can do, it’s been a while since he’s had the truly big receiving game that he’d need for MVP consideration.
Rashee Rice (60/1)
The rookie wideout has had a decent post-season so far, hauling in 20 catches for 223 yards, but will need to have the game of his young career if he is to beat out the crowded field of offensive talent that will be out on display at Allegiant Stadium.
Nick Bosa (90/1)
It’s somewhat telling that the first defensive player on this list is a huge longshot, according to the bookies. To be in the running for this one, Bosa will need to improve even on his two-sack performance against the Lions and completely shut down Mahomes.
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