The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 10-3.
The Bucs are one of three NFC teams sitting at 10-3; the others are the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers.
In Week 14, Tom Brady proved once again that he is clutch with a 58-yard touchdown pass in overtime to defeat the Buffalo Bills.
TOM BRADY TO BRESHAD PERRIMAN FOR THE WALK-OFF WIN 🔥
TD pass No. 7️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ for Brady!
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/1kqCYtwd7E
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 13, 2021
Brady is having yet another outstanding season so no one would be surprised if he won the 2021 NFL MVP award.
Here are three reasons why he is an obvious choice.
3. He Is A Quarterback
Though it is named Most Valuable Player, the award should really be named Most Valuable Quarterback because that is the position that has dominated it in recent years.
Since 2000, only four players who are not quarterbacks won the award, and all of them are running backs.
They are Marshall Faulk (2000), Shaun Alexander (2005), LaDainian Tomlinson (2006), and Adrian Peterson (2012).
The fact that it is a quarterback’s award makes it a lot easier to conclude that Brady is the frontrunner to win the award in 2021.
I know NFL MVP almost always goes to a quarterback… but are we *sure* that Jonathan Taylor isn’t the MVP front-runner right now?
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) December 14, 2021
2. He Is The G.O.A.T.
While the MVP award measures accomplishments within one season, Brady is the greatest to ever play the quarterback position.
There is likely never going to be another quarterback like him, and at 44, he is still at the top of his game.
Playing at this high level at his age is nothing short of amazing.
In a very odd NFL season when nothing seems to be as people expected it to be, it is comforting to know that Tom Brady is still Tom Brady.
At least one thing has not changed.
Brady won the award three times previously in 2007, 2010, and 2017.
The only other quarterback with more MVP awards than Brady is Peyton Manning who has five.
A fourth MVP award inches Brady closer to Manning’s record and would make him the oldest MVP ever in any sport, beating his own record of winning at 40 in 2017.
Tom Brady now has the chance to become the oldest MVP in any sport, at anytime…breaking his own record, of course. pic.twitter.com/QBI2zZhaJp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 13, 2021
1. His Statistics
Moving to Tampa Bay has been great for Brady.
In his second season with the Bucs, he has 4,134 passing yards, 36 touchdown passes, and 10 interceptions.
A more astounding statistic for Brady is his 68 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
He has not had over 60 yards rushing since 2016.
Brady knows he is not fast and often talks about it, but he gets the yards when he needs to and is not afraid of quarterback sneaks or contact at 44 years of age.
Coach Bruce Arians seems more concerned about it than Brady.
Bruce Arians after seeing Tom Brady running twice for 1st downs on the same drive against the #Bills
"That's enough hits, alright?"pic.twitter.com/eEPxZv7Kyt
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 14, 2021
His career best season for rushing is 110 yards in 2002, and he had four touchdowns in 2012.
It is another element of his game that he uses to take advantage of vulnerable and unprepared defenses.
Conclusion
Tom Brady is running away with the NFL MVP honor this season, according to the latest odds over at @betonline_ag. Will anyone catch the 44-year-old quarterback? @LockedOnBucs pic.twitter.com/DyCBqWqBiQ
— Locked On Podcasts (@LockedOnNetwork) December 15, 2021
Though Brady is the obvious choice, it does not mean he is the only choice.
Aaron Rodgers is having a great season also and could be a back-to-back MVP award winner in 2020 and 2021 if selected this season.
There are also skill position players who could be recognized if the quarterback stigma is removed from the award.
They include Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
With four games left in the regular season, this award could still very much be up for grabs.
NEXT: Tom Brady Seeking Pro Sports History At The Age Of 44