Why Dwight Freeney Thinks This Player Deserves the MVP Over Patrick Mahomes

As the 2024 NFL season reaches its midpoint, talk of MVP is heating up, with several top quarterbacks running to grab the crown of the league's most prestigious individual award. Sure, names like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Jared Goff always pop up in the discussion, but one might be surprised at the pick coming from Hall of Fame defensive end Dwight Freeney: the Lions' quarterback Jared Goff.
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Speaking on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams, Freeney, who spent his career chasing down quarterbacks, offers his unique insight on who deserves to be named MVP seven weeks into the season. And for Freeney, it's clear that Goff has earned that recognition.
“I think right now you would have to give it to Jared (Goff),” Freeney said during the show. “He’s just playing great football. Nothing against Patrick [Mahomes]—Patrick has had better years—but I just think Jared Goff is playing great ball.”


Kansas City Chiefs' star quarterback Patrick Mahomes already has league MVP under his belt three times and seems determined to make it four. For Mahomes, that means a stellar start to the season to begin 6-0. The only undefeated team in the league with such success, injuries haven't stopped the Chiefs from taking the season by storm. No wonder Mahomes remains the central figure in MVP conversations.
But Goff's coup must not detract from the outstanding, often unsung performance of quarterback Matthew Stafford himself. Stafford is having a fine season for Detroit after a down year in 2017. So far, the Lions quarterback has led Detroit to a 5-1 record and sitting atop the NFC standings. His statistics are even more impressive: Goff has completed 73.6 percent of his passes and is now into the game with six touchdowns, just four interceptions, and 1,610 yards so far this season.
“There’s one game this year where he had no incompletions,” Freeney pointed out, emphasizing Goff’s effectiveness on the field. “I don’t think anybody’s talking about him, but just from a standpoint of doing your job the way you’re supposed to, he’s up there.”
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While Goff may be Freeney's choice, the race for that top prize of MVP has been incredibly competitive. The indicated favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook remains Mahomes, whose best odds to win the award are +350. But his numbers this season—six touchdown passes to eight interceptions—are not as strong as they have ever been, which has people wondering why he was chosen to be the front-runner.
Ranked third is Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, both at +500. Allen has thrown for 1,483 yards and 12 touchdowns total, with nary a pick, while Jackson has amassed 1,529 yards and 10 touchdowns, plus two rushing scores.
Despite having those worthy contenders, the shout-out from Freeney to Goff proves how huge of an impact the QB is for Detroit in their early-season success, and Goff would not be so far behind climbing further up the MVP odds board if he continues his form.
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Patrick Mahomes: +350 odds, 6 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, Chiefs are 6-0.
Josh Allen: +500 odds, 12 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, Bills are 5-2.
Lamar Jackson: +500 odds, 10 passing touchdowns, 2 rushing touchdowns, Ravens are 4-2.
Jared Goff: +800 odds, 10 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, Lions are 5-1.
Apparently, now that the season is unspooling; it becomes glaringly clear that the feats displayed by Goff have not gone unseen by one of the all-time greats in the NFL, and he'd do whatever it takes to depose Mahomes in the race to be considered the best player. Time only will tell, but a vote of confidence from Freeney speaks volumes.
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