Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers made history in the Super Bowl, giving his team a big advantage in the 29-13 win over the New England Patriots.
But when it came time to hand out the Super Bowl MVP, Myers was left empty-handed.
Some fans believe his record-setting performance was worthy of earning Super Bowl MVP, which instead went to running back Kenneth Walker III. The NFL also drew some criticism for putting Myers at a disadvantage in the voting, which allowed fans to have a say in the game’s MVP.
Jason Myers Snubbed for Super Bowl MVP?
There had never been a kicker who won Super Bowl MVP going into Sunday’s game, though fans started calling for Myers to win before the game even ended. Pat McAfee, the former NFL punter turned commentator and host, led the charge for Myers to win MVP.
“Jason Myers is about to be The Super Bowl MVP,” McAfee shared in a post on X. “A KICKER is about to be Super Bowl MVP HISTORY IS ABOUT TO BE MADE TEAM Go out and kick field goals kids”
As USA Today noted, the NFL doesn’t play a direct hand in picking Super Bowl MVP, instead leaving it up to a panel of media members with some input from fans.
“The vote for Super Bowl MVP consists partly of a fan vote and mostly of a vote by 16 media members,” the report noted.
“Fans are responsible for 20% of the Super Bowl MVP vote on NFL.com. The remaining 80% of the vote is determined by 16 members of a media panel, who submit their ballots around the 2-minute warning at the end of the game.”
But as many fans noted, Myers was not even listed among the candidates for voting on the NFL’s website — which included only position players, no kickers or other special teams specialists. Many were upset that the league failed to account for kickers.
“It’s a crime that we can’t vote for Jason Myers for MVP, @NFL,” one fan wrote in a post on X.
“You literally cannot vote for Jason Myers. That is a travesty,” another wrote.
The MVP trophy instead went to Walker, who generated most of Seattle’s offense as the passing game struggled through much of the first half. Walker took 27 rushes for 135 yards, adding two receptions for 26 yards.
Jason Myers Made History in Super Bowl Win
Myers set an all-time record with five field goals in the Super Bowl. He represented all the scoring through the first three quarters, giving the Seahawks a 12-0 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Myers ended the game with 17 total points, including a pair of extra points as the Seahawks offense came alive in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns.
The performance came largely as a surprise, especially among oddsmakers. Myers had not even been listed among the candidates for Super Bowl MVP among betting outlets before the game. As USA Today noted, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold led the betting odds, followed by Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
NFL’s Super Bowl Decision on Seahawks Kicker Jason Myers Sparks Controversy