Seven NFL Teams Still Seeking a Super Bowl-Era MVP in 2026
Seven NFL franchises still lack a Super Bowl-era AP MVP. Here are the verified 2026 candidates for each team, their award paths, and the hurdles separating a long shot from a realistic case.
Correction and update (July 27, 2026): An earlier version mismatched several teams and candidates. This version verifies all seven pairings against NFL.com and replaces the inaccurate analysis.
Seven active franchises have not produced an Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player during the Super Bowl era. NFL.com identified one 2026 candidate for each of them, but the list is best read as a map of possible award paths—not as seven equally likely predictions.
#The seven verified team-candidate pairings
| Team | NFL.com candidate | Verified context | Primary MVP hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | Jeremiyah Love, RB | A young runner with a path to becoming the offense’s focal point | Rookie uncertainty and the award’s quarterback bias |
| Houston Texans | Will Anderson Jr., EDGE | A defensive star capable of driving a contender’s identity | A defender needs an extraordinary, league-defining season |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Trevor Lawrence, QB | A quarterback with the position-based route to the award | Jacksonville must pair his production with major team improvement |
| New Orleans Saints | Tyler Shough, QB | A young quarterback who can change the franchise’s trajectory | He must make a large leap while lifting the offense around him |
| New York Jets | Breece Hall, RB | A runner and receiver who can create high-value touches | Team success and sustained touchdown production are essential |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Jalen Hurts, QB | An established quarterback on a roster built to contend | His individual passing case must stand out within a deep offense |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Baker Mayfield, QB | A proven starter with a direct production-and-wins pathway | He must separate from a crowded field of elite quarterbacks |
#What the list actually tells us
The candidates fall into three distinct groups. Hurts, Mayfield, Lawrence, and Shough have the cleanest structural path because quarterbacks control the award conversation most seasons. Love and Hall would need elite scrimmage production plus a winning team narrative. Anderson has the steepest route because a defensive player must overcome decades of offense-first voting behavior.
That distinction matters when comparing long-shot candidates. A talented player is not automatically a realistic MVP bet. Opportunity, position, team record, signature games, and the strength of the quarterback field all shape the case.
#The quarterback path
Hurts and Mayfield enter with established roles on competitive teams, so their route is straightforward: produce at an elite level, win enough games to stay in the national spotlight, and own a clear share of their offense’s success. Lawrence and Shough offer more dramatic turnaround stories, but both require a larger year-over-year leap. A surprise contender led by its quarterback can create an MVP narrative quickly; ordinary team results usually end it.
#What Love, Hall, and Anderson would need
For Love or Hall, volume alone would not be enough. A serious case would likely require explosive efficiency, major receiving value, a high touchdown total, and a playoff-caliber team. Running backs also need their production to feel indispensable rather than replaceable within the scheme.
Anderson’s candidacy is different. He would need a dominant pass-rushing season, game-changing plays in high-profile wins, and a Texans defense that becomes central to the league’s story. Even then, the best quarterback season would remain the comparison point.
#The Snap’s practical 2026 read
The most plausible paths belong to the quarterbacks, with Hurts and Mayfield carrying the fewest projection steps. Lawrence has the upside to change the conversation if Jacksonville makes a jump. Shough is the biggest projection. Love, Hall, and Anderson are compelling franchise representatives, but their positions make the voting math much harder.
For the broader market context, compare these long shots with The Snap’s 2026–27 NFL MVP odds overview.
#Source
Candidate list and team pairings: NFL.com, “Could one of these seven NFL teams finally celebrate first Super Bowl-era MVP in 2026?”. The analysis and comparisons above are The Snap’s.
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