Matthew Stafford just snagged his first MVP award last season. Seriously, his FIRST! Now, heading into the 2026 NFL season, all eyes are on who’s gonna break through and claim that hardware for the very first time. And get this: the “First Things First” crew? Four out of five panelists are betting on a first-timer, with a wild twist: three of them are all pointing to the SAME guy.
Mahomes On The Comeback Trail, But Others Steal The Spotlight
It’s not every day you see that kind of consensus, but the buzz is real. Nick Wright, for one, is doubling down on the Kansas City Chiefs making a huge comeback this season. His MVP pick? Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, the guy who tore his ACL in Week 15 last season. Wright is convinced that while Mahomes might limit his running game coming off that injury, his arm is gonna be as electric as ever. Plus, with a new running back in Kenneth Walker III and Travis Kelce back at tight end, Mahomes is walking into a seriously loaded offense. He was the favorite at mid-season last year before the injury, so the talent is undeniable.
Why Everyone’s Betting Big On Dak Prescott
But let’s talk about the real shocker: Dak Prescott. Chris Broussard kicked off this trend, practically shouting “Dak for MVP!” His reasoning? Pure numbers, baby. Broussard laid it out: in the last four seasons where Prescott played 16 or 17 games, he consistently put up over 4,500 yards and hit 30 or more touchdowns. Those are serious stats! Broussard thinks Dak’s gonna drop monster numbers again this year and, crucially, lead the Cowboys to win their division. Remember, they went 7-9-1 last year under new Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer, finishing second in the NFC East, with Prescott hitting 4,552 yards, 30 TDs, and 10 interceptions.
Greg Jennings totally backed up the Prescott hype, adding another layer to the argument. For a guy to win MVP after a good season, he’s gotta show he can get even better. Jennings believes the Cowboys, and Dak himself, have huge areas for improvement. He said, “Dak Prescott has to be what they are expecting him to be in order for this team to take the next step. I believe he is capable of doing that.” It’s not just about the stats, it’s about pushing the team forward.
And Kevin Wildes? He jumped on the Dak train too! Wildes loves Prescott’s ability to put up points and his strong numbers on paper. Prescott actually led the whole league in completions last year, throwing the ball a whopping 600 times. Wildes even threw in a little “Stafford benefit” parallel: if the defense is struggling, the QB gets to put up huge numbers trying to keep pace. It makes sense, right? Those kinds of numbers, win or lose, get noticed.
The Wildcard Pick
So, three out of five panelists are all-in on Prescott. But what about the other guy? Danny Parkins went a completely different route, tabbing Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as his MVP pick for the upcoming season. Williams finished the 2025 campaign as the Bears’ signal-caller, and Parkins clearly sees a big leap coming for him.
The NFL season is just around the corner, and the MVP race is already heating up. Will Dak Prescott prove these analysts right and finally hoist that MVP trophy, or will Mahomes shake off the injury and reclaim his dominance? And what about Caleb Williams, could he be the dark horse? We’re about to find out! Get ready to watch these QBs sling it, because the stakes for this season are absolutely massive for these guys and their teams.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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