The 2017 season was down to its final battle.
On February 4, Super Bowl LII would be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, bringing the glorious, thrilling season to a climactic end.
But before that finale, the league's last celebration would unfold—finalized statistics and award votes from the regular season were now public, setting off a storm of debate.
Only two teams—the AFC and NFC champions—would step onto the Super Bowl stage. But across seventeen weeks of regular-season clashes, countless unforgettable moments had been etched into history.
The crown jewel, the headliner.
As the season drew to a close, buzz around Lance contending for MVP reached a fever pitch. The reason? Quarterbacks across the league had been inconsistent—no dominant front-runner. Meanwhile, Lance had shattered records with a ground game of historic proportions, carrying the Kansas City Chiefs to the AFC title.
Add that to the lack of a clear QB favorite, and naturally, Lance's MVP campaign became the talk of the league.
In the long history of the NFL, not once had a rookie ever won MVP. Rarely had one even been in serious consideration.
Lance's staggering, transcendent performance had forced the league to take notice—and to take running backs seriously again.
Undeniably historic. Truly unforgettable.
Veterans like Le'Veon Bell and Adrian Peterson publicly supported Lance's candidacy, urging voters to ditch their bias—he deserved a fair shot, rookie or not.
But they were the minority.
The dominant narrative remained: rookies should be judged separately. "Rules are rules."
Debates raged for weeks. And when the conference championship games ended, the answer was finally revealed.
NFL awards are voted on by a panel of 50 seasoned sportswriters—none of them affiliated with the NFL's official media arm, to preserve neutrality and professionalism.
Each year the panel rotates, adding even more credibility to the process.
That's why the MVP award is so respected. It's also why Peyton Manning's five-time MVP status remains unmatched.
This year's chaos-filled regular season—reflected in the wild playoff outcomes—created an open race. QBs, RBs, defenders—all had cases.
If rookies were on the table, some argued, so should dominant defenders like Aaron Donald, the Rams' game-wrecking force.
After all, it had been more than 30 years since a defender won MVP: Lawrence Taylor, Giants linebacker, in 1986.
And then the votes were in.
Regular Season MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots.
It was Brady's third career MVP. In a season of turmoil, the NFL's golden boy once again stood atop the league. But things had clearly shifted.
Too many head-scratchers to count.
Donald didn't receive a single vote. Wentz, who missed the end of the season, somehow got two. Gurley and Lance—two RBs—earned serious recognition. Yet in the end, tradition prevailed: a quarterback won again.
Still, Lance had made history. As a rookie, he had earned 20 votes—just five shy of stealing the award from Brady.
But the voters blinked. Instead of crowning a new era, they handed it back to the old guard.
But the numbers didn't lie. Lance had taken the league by storm—reshaping expectations and disrupting the status quo. The world was now watching, eagerly awaiting his .
Other major awards were announced:
Offensive Player of the Year: Lance, RB, Kansas City Chiefs.
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald, DE, Los Angeles Rams.
Coach of the Year: Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams.
Worth noting—McVay, only 31 years old (born 1986), had become the youngest head coach in league history. People called the Rams' front office insane when they hired him. Now, he'd led L.A. to the playoffs and won over fans and critics alike.
McVay narrowly beat out Chiefs coach Andy Reid for the honor, a clear recognition of his transformative impact.
And then, of course, there was Lance.
He missed out on MVP, but his legacy was undeniable.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Lance, RB, Kansas City Chiefs.
Rookie of the Year: Lance, RB, Kansas City Chiefs.
He became the first rookie in history to win Offensive Player of the Year—and did so as a Chinese-American. A truly groundbreaking moment.
And no one disputed it. No backlash. No controversy. Everyone agreed—he earned it.
Other winners included:
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints.
Comeback Player of the Year: Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers.
Clear, concise, historic.
No doubt—he was the season's biggest winner, capping off a year of relentless dominance and electric impact.
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