Journal #12: Does Aaron Rodgers deserve to be MVP?

When should the NFL MVP be voted on? This is a question that has sparked a little bit of debate between NFL fans since the NFL Honors Awards show aired, and Aaron Rodgers won the MVP. So naturally, as a Chicago Bears fan, my ears perked up when people hated on this year's MVP. 

Here are the two sides debating this question. One side believes that the MVP voting should occur before Playoffs begin, and the other thinks it should be voted on after the Super Bowl. 

I understand the controversy on both sides. If you vote after the Playoffs, odds are the League MVP will turn into a Playoff MVP award. But is this such a bad thing? I think everyone can agree that the MVP should go to somebody that has brought real value to their respective franchise and elevates their team to a position they would likely not reach without them. 

If you go 17-0 in the regular season then lose in the first round, does the season mean anything? I want to take a second to refer back to the 2015-'16 Golden State Warriors team. While they had the best regular-season record in NBA history with seventy-three wins and nine losses, they are still not considered by most to be the best team in NBA history. That title belongs to, by many, the 1995-'96 Chicago Bulls, who won one less game than the '15-'16 Warriors. But why is this? That Bulls team was able to finish the job and win a championship. 

So let's revisit Aaron Rodgers. What real value did he provide to his team? To be the league MVP, I believe you need to bring something to the table in the post-season. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers won as many playoff games as the Jets and Jaguars this year. 

If you go strictly off numbers alone, Tom Brady had a better regular season than Rodgers leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, and to add to this, the Packers and the Buccaneers had the same record. 
The MVP award should be based on who elevates their team to the next level. For example, in 2020, do the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl or even make playoffs without Tom Brady? This year, do the Bengals make playoffs or make it to the Super Bowl without Joe Burrow? 

I'll ask this question, and you can come to your conclusion. This year, do the Packers make the playoffs and lose in their first post-season game without Aaron Rodgers? I think you can say yes to this easier than you can when asking about Burrow and Brady. Aaron Rodgers does not elevate his team. As we saw this previous offseason, if he does anything, he holds them back. 

To wrap this up, MVP voting should be held after the playoffs have ended because a player's value is greatly determined in the post-season. What value do you have if your team is better off or the same without you?