The problem I have with it is the incessant flip-flopping on the criteria the voters use to decide who "wins" the MVP depending on who the current media darling is and who's in the running for any given year.
In 2011, Rodgers had a remarkable season and nobody can debate that. However, he trailed Brees in nearly every worthwhile passing category, only holding an edge on interceptions (6 to Brees' 14), QB rating (122.5 to Brees' 110.6) and the overall team record (14-1 to 13-3).
- 1st in QB rating (122.5, NFL record) - Brees was 2nd
- t-2nd in fewest interceptions thrown with (6) - Alex Smith was 1st with 5 and played all 16 games, Brees t-17th
- 5th in passing yards (4,643) - Brees was 1st
- 2nd in pass TD's (45) - Brees was 1st
- 2nd in completion % (68.3) - Brees was 1st
- 10th in completions (343) - Brees was 1st
Meanwhile in addition to Brees leading the league in the majority of the categories above that Rodgers finished 2nd or lower in (passing yards, passing TD's, and completion % which is also referred to as the QB Triple Crown), he also led the league in completions and not only broke, but
shattered multiple longstanding NFL records.
- 5,476 passing yards (NFL record) - 27 year old record previously deemed unbreakable
- 342.3 passing ypg (NFL record) - 29 year old record held by Dan Fouts for the 1982 strike-shortened season
- 71.2 completion % (NFL record) - another strike season record that he already tied in 2009 and finally broke
- 7,474 offensive scrimmage yards (NFL record) - 11 year old record set by the "Greatest Show on Turf" Rams
So 1 NFL record and a bunch of 2nd place finishes vs. 4 NFL records and stat leader in the majority of passing categories. And as another poster previously stated, the MVP went to the guy who's back-up would play in Week 17 that year in his absence and would only go on to only throw for 480 yards, 6 TD’s, and a 136.4 QB rating, setting 2 Packers franchise records for passing yards and passing TD's in that single game. That alone showed Rodgers didn’t deserve MVP.
Fast forward to 2018. Mahomes in his first season as a starter has an impeccable season while leading the league or finishing in the top-5 of multiple passing categories (1st in TD's, 5th in completions, 2nd in yards, 2nd in QB rating).
For Brees, although they aren't on par with his previous MVP caliber seasons (due to the offense shifting its identity), Brees still bested Mahomes in every category Rodgers bested him in previously that won him the MVP in 2011, and he also led the league in completion % while breaking his own NFL record from the previous year for a 3rd time.
- Mahomes threw 12 interceptions to Brees' 5, only behind Rodgers' 2
- Mahomes was 2nd in QB rating, Brees was 1st (NFL record)
- Mahomes was 12-4 as a starter, Brees was 13-2 also 1st
That's without having to mention Mahomes went 3-4 against teams with a winning record that year while Brees went 5-1. Mahomes posted 2 4th quarter comebacks and 2 game winning drives while Brees had 6 4th quarter comebacks and 7 game winning drives.
So the criteria the league voted on literally flip flopped. If Rodgers deserved the MVP in 2011 then Brees deserved it in 2018. If Brees didn't deserve it in 2011 then Mahomes didn't deserve it in 2018. Full stop.
Brees should have 2 MVP's (arguably even 3) to his name at minimum.