As the 2024 season inches closer, there’s a looming dilemma about which QB will win the MVP nod this year. Last season belonged to Lamar Jackson, and he’s still one of the favorites to snag another in the upcoming season. But what about the underdogs? Well, in a recent discussion on ‘First Take,’ ESPN Radio’s Chris Carlin named Micah Parsons, Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott, and Jordan Love as his dark horse candidates for the 2024 NFL MVP award.
Advertisement
Carlin selected the Dallas Cowboys edge rusher to potentially become the first defensive player to win NFL MVP honors since Lawrence Taylor did so in 1986. While Parsons has an impressive 40.5 sacks in his first three seasons, Carlin believes the former Penn State standout can shatter the single-season record for sacks in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback is on Carlin’s list because of the talented players around him. Puka Nacua put the league on notice during his rookie season, while Cooper Kupp remains a potent threat despite missing 13 games over the last two seasons. The Rams also have a solid backfield with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, giving Stafford more variety in their playbook.
Prescott also made the cut in Chris Carlin’s list of dark horse MVP candidates for 2024, although not without controversy. Although he’s making headlines recently for wearing a walking boot while on vacation at Cabo San Lucas, Prescott did finish second to Lamar Jackson in last year’s MVP voting. The Cowboys play-maker even led the league in touchdown passes (36) and finished third in passing yards (4,516) last season.
Carlin wrapped up his list by naming Love, who had a breakout performance in the second half of 2023. In his last eight regular-season games, Love threw 18 touchdowns against one interception. With a young but talented roster around him, the Green Bay Packers quarterback could take the next step, especially after gaining postseason experience.
Sam Acho Comments on Chris Carlin’s Dark Horse MVP Candidates List
After hearing Carlin’s selections, former NFL linebacker Sam Acho expressed disbelief that Prescott is considered a dark horse MVP candidate even though he received 30.4 percent of the vote last year. Likewise, he questioned Carlin’s inclusion of Stafford on the list, calling it a ‘hodgepodge.’
In response, Courtney Cronin noted that Prescott wasn’t necessarily a dark horse candidate and that he could have won the MVP due to his solid numbers. However, she asserted that Prescott has been among the MVP finalists over the last few seasons. Why should it change now?
Meanwhile, Acho named C.J. Stroud as a dark horse MVP candidate. The linebacker from Texas, who played for three NFL teams in nine seasons, strongly vouched for the quarterback from Ohio State after his impressive rookie season in Houston. In addition to having the most passing yards per game during the regular season (273.9), Stroud became the youngest starting quarterback to win a playoff game.
But Carlin returned the favor by questioning Stroud as a dark horse MVP candidate, given his first-year performance with the Houston Texans. The sports radio veteran added that Stroud is a favorite to win MVP, especially after the Texans added Stefon Diggs to their offense.
Finally, former NFL head coach Herm Edwards made a case for Parsons to become the first non-quarterback MVP since Adrian Peterson’s 2012 win. Edwards also added running back Christian McCaffrey to the conversation because of his versatility as a runner and pass-catcher.
