A Look at Some of the Best NFL Players in September 2024

The first month of the 2024 National Football League (NFL) season featured a few notable surprises, including impressive starts by the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings and a 0-3 start for the Cincinnati Bengals. Here's a look at the best NFL players in September.

Josh Allen (AFC Offensive Player of the Month)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen won his third AFC Player of the Month award in September and first since the 2020 season. Playing in his seventh season, Allen led Buffalo to a 3-1 record and was first among AFC quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (7) and passer rating (116.5). He also scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.

Allen completed 69.3 percent of his pass attempts for 814 yards and rushed for 106 yards in four games during September. He had his best game in Buffalo's 47-10 Week 3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 23 of 30 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns.

Sam Darnold (NFC Offensive Player of the Month)

The Vikings faced uncertainty at quarterback, the most important position in football, prior to the 2024 season. Last year's starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, signed with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, and 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in his first preseason game. Veteran Sam Darnold, signed by Minnesota in March, has stepped up and is having a career renaissance.

Selected third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold was just 21-35 with three teams as a starting quarterback during his first six years in the league. He led the Vikings to a perfect 4-0 record in September and threw a league-best 11 touchdowns while completing 68.9 percent of his pass attempts to 932 yards.

Kyle Van Noy (AFC Defensive Player of the Month)

An 11-year NFL veteran, linebacker Kyle Van Noy won AFC Defensive Player of the Month in September after recording a conference-best six sacks, eight tackles, and a forced fumble. Van Noy, in his second season with the Baltimore Ravens, had two sacks in three consecutive games, including a 35-10 win over the Bills in Week 4. This was his first Player of the Month honor, although he is a two-time AFC Defensive Player of the Week winner.

Aidan Hutchinson (NFC Defensive Player of the Month)

The second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Aidan Hutchinson is building upon his impressive sophomore season in 2023. The Detroit Lions defensive end earned his first Pro Bowl nod last year after recording 11.5 sacks and 51 tackles. He had a league-best 6.5 tackles through the first three games of the season, including 4.5 in the Lions' 20-16 Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

4 Players with the Best Odds to Win 2024 NFL MVP

Football is a team game, but in the NFL, quarterbacks receive the bulk of the credit for their team's success and, in some cases, undeserved criticism for their failures. Quarterbacks have won the Associated Press (AP) NFL MVP in all but one season since Tom Brady won in 2007. That QB dominance isn't likely to end in 2024, judging by the odds to win the award at most major sportsbooks.

Here's a look at the four quarterbacks who have the shortest odds to win AP NFL MVP in 2024.

Patrick Mahomes (+400)

A two-time MVP, Patrick Mahomes opened the 2024 season as the favorite to win the award, with +400 odds at BetMGM. The 28-year-old former first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs first won the award in 2018 after leading all quarterbacks in touchdowns (50) and leading the Chiefs to a 12-4 record in the regular season. He won again in 2022, when he finished first in touchdowns (41), passing yards (5,250), and yards per game (308.8).

Mahomes is already the most decorated current quarterback in the NFL and has drawn comparisons to all-time great Tom Brady since winning his third Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2023. He is also a three-time Super Bowl MVP and has a much better receiving corps this season than he did in 2023.

Josh Allen (+550)

Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Lamar Jackson have each won two MVPs since Josh Allen made his debut in 2018. The Buffalo Bills quarterback has been in the same conversation as those players, but has yet to win the award. He finished second in MVP voting in 2020 and has thrown for at least 29 touchdowns and 4,283 yards in each of the last four seasons.

A two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Allen is also a threat to run every time he touches the ball. He scored a career-best 15 rushing touchdowns in 2023 and had two in the Bills' Week 1 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He opened the year with +550 odds to win MVP.

C.J. Stroud (+900)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has third-shortest odds to win MVP at +900 on BetMGM. The second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Stroud won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year last year after leading Houston to a 9-6 record under center while throwing for 23 touchdowns and 4,108 passing yards. He also had just five interceptions, leading all quarterbacks in interception percentage (1.0).

Jalen Hurts (+1,000)

Also a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles has the fourth-shortest MVP odds at +1,000 on BetMGM. The 26-year-old native of Houston, Texas, selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, was MVP runner-up in 2022 and finished last season with 38 combined passing and rushing touchdowns.

A Look at 4 Standout NFL Players in October

Every month, the National Football League (NFL) honors players who have had the best offensive and defensive performance in both the AFC and NFC. It also gives monthly awards to the top offensive and defensive rookies. Here's a look at some of the winners for October 2024.

1. Lamar Jackson (AFC Offensive Player)

A candidate to win NFL MVP for the second consecutive season, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had a standout month in October, leading his team to a 3-1 record with wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had a completion percentage above 60 in each of Baltimore's four games in the month and threw for 1,241 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for 193 yards.

Jackson had his best game of the month against the Buccaneers, throwing for a season-high five touchdowns with 281 passing yards and 52 rushing yards. This was his fourth AFC Offensive Player of the Month honor. He also won in December 2023, September 2022, and November 2019.

2. Jared Goff (NFC Offensive Player)

The Detroit Lions finished October with a perfect 3-0 record due in part to the impressive play of quarterback Jared Goff. The first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft threw for a season-high 315 passing yards and three touchdowns in a 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys on October 13 and finished the month with 680 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and no interceptions. He had just 13 pass incompletions.

3. Bo Nix (Offensive Rookie)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, selected 12th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, completed 66.7 percent of his passes in four games and had 870 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and only one interception. He also rushed for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Nix is only the third Bronco to win Offensive Rookie of the Month and first since Clinton Portis in 2002. His performance in October was much better than during September, when he had just one touchdown and four interceptions.

4. Chris Boswell (AFC Special Teams)

Chris Boswell, the kicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, won his second consecutive AFC Special Teams Player of the Month award in October. Boswell won the award following a perfect month in regard to field goal attempts. He made all 12 attempts, including one from beyond 50 yards and converted all 10 of his extra points. Through the end of October, the 33-year-old Pro Bowl kicker had missed just one field goal and was a perfect 16-for-16 in extra point attempts.

The Last 4 Non-QBs Selected First in the NFL Draft

The National Football League (NFL) Draft has taken place every year since 1936. At the event presents NFL teams with an opportunity to improve their rosters by selecting the top college players in the United States. Unlike some other professional sports leagues in North America, the NFL doesn't have a draft lottery. Instead, the team that finishes in last place in the prior season is awarded the first overall selection. 

Most franchises choose a quarterback with the first overall pick. Since the first-ever draft, teams have drafted a quarterback first overall 39 times, including in 19 of the last 26 drafts. Below are the last four non-quarterbacks selected first overall. 

1. Travon Walker - DE (2022) 

The Jacksonville Jaguars held the first overall pick for the second consecutive year in 2022 and selected Georgia defensive end Travon Walker. The team drafted quarterback Trevor Lawrence first overall in 2021. Walker, the 13th defensive end chosen first in the draft since 1967, recorded 33 tackles, six quarterback sacks, and one fumble recovery in his junior year with Georgia in 2021. The 6-foot-5, 272-pound native of Thomaston, Georgia, finished his rookie season in the NFL with 49 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. 

2. Myles Garrett - DE (2017) 

Myles Garrett, a 6-foot-4, 272-pound defensive end, was the last non-quarterback selected first overall prior to Walker. Drafted by the Cleveland Browns, Garrett spent three seasons at Texas A&M. While there, he accumulated 141 tackles, 31 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and one interception in 34 games.  

Now in his seventh season in the league in 2023, Garrett is a four-time Pro Bowl player and finished fifth in Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022. He finished that season with a career-best 60 tackles and 16 sacks.  

3. Jadeveon Clowney - DE (2014) 

The Houston Texans selected defensive end Jadeveon Clowney first overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-6, 274-pound All-American, who also played defensive lineman in college, spent three seasons at the University of South Carolina and accumulated 129 tackles, 24 sacks, and nine forced fumbles. The three-time NFL Pro Bowl player spent his first five seasons in Houston and has since played for the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Baltimore Ravens. 

4. Eric Fisher - T (2013) 

One of only five offensive tackles to ever be selected first overall in the NFL Draft, Eric Fisher played seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. He retired in 2021 after one year with the Indianapolis Colts. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2019 and participated in the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2020. 

These 4 NFL Players Earned Monthly Honors in September 2023

The 2023 National Football League (NFL) season began on Thursday, September 7, with a showdown between the Detroit Lions and defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. Three weeks later, on September 28, the league announced the top performers of the first month of the season. The following are the four winners of the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Month in the National Football Conference (NFC) and American Football Conference (AFC). 

1. Christian McCaffrey (NFC Offensive Player) 

A two-time Pro Bowl running back from Castle Rock, Colorado, Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers was the most impressive offensive player in the NFC in September. The 27-year-old Stanford alumnus, selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2017 NFL Draft, led all running backs with 423 scrimmage yards through the season's first three games. 

McCaffrey, who is in his first full season with the 49ers after a midseason trade in 2022, averaged 5.9 yards per carry (353 total rush yards) and scored three touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 70 yards. 

2. Tua Tagovailoa (AFC Offensive Player) 

Selected fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL Draft, fourth-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looked like an MVP candidate through the season's first three games, leading the Dolphins to a 3-0 record with a league-leading 130 points. Tagovailoa finished September with a league-best 121.9 passer rating to go along with 1,024 passing yards and eight touchdowns. 

Tagovailoa was particularly impressive in Miami's 70-20 Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos, recording 309 passing yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. 

3. Micah Parsons (NFC Defensive Player) 

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons placed immense pressure on himself before the 2023 NFL season, saying he wants to be remembered as "one of the greatest Hall of Famers" in the sport. His impressive play in September proved that may be possible. The 24-year-old native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, already a former AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Pro, recorded 12 tackles, five of which were for a loss, and four quarterback sacks in three games in September. He also forced a fumble and had a fumble recovery. 

4. T.J. Watt (AFC Defensive Player) 

A three-time All-Pro linebacker and 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt remains one of the best players at his position in his seventh year in the league. Watt played just 10 games last season due to injury and recorded only 5.5 sacks. He surpassed that already with a league-leading six sacks in his first three games. He also forced and recovered two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown. 

The Last 4 NFL AP Defensive Players of the Year

In 1972, National Football League (NFL) defensive tackle Alan Page made history as the first-ever winner of the Associated Press (AP) Defensive Player of the Year award and the first defensive player to win NFL MVP. Only one other defensive player, Lawrence Taylor in 1986, has since won both awards in the same year. Page, who played for the Minnesota Vikings, finished the 1971 season with 109 tackles, nine quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries, and two safeties. 

Below are the four most recent winners of the AP Defensive Player of the Year award. 

1. Nick Bosa 

San Francisco 49ers EDGE rusher Nick Bosa won the 2022 AP Defensive Player of the Year award with 46 of the 50 first-place votes for 237 total vote points. Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys was the runner-up with 101 vote points. Bosa, who also finished sixth in MVP voting, recorded a season-leading and career-best 18.5 sacks in the 2022 season. He also had 51 tackles and two forced fumbles. 

This wasn't the first time the AP recognized Bosa for his on-field achievements. Selected second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL Draft, Bosa won the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 after finishing his first season with 47 tackles, nine sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one interception. He signed a five-year, $170 million contract extension with the 49ers ahead of the 2023 season, making him the highest-paid defensive player in league history. 

2. TJ Watt 

TJ Watt, brother of three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year winner JJ Watt, won the award for the first time in 2021. A five-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker, TJ finished the season with a season-leading and career-best 22.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss of yards. He also had five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Watt received 42 of the 50 first-place votes. 

3. Aaron Donald 

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald won his third AP Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020, beating out runner-up TJ Watt by seven first-place votes. Donald, who also won the award in 2018 and 2017, recorded 45 tackles, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 2020. An alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh, he won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons. 

4. Stephon Gilmore 

One of only two cornerbacks or safeties to win AP Defensive Player of the Year since 2010, Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots received 21 of 50 first-place votes in 2019. He finished that season with 53 tackles and a league-best six interceptions and 20 defended passes. 

These 4 Head Coaches Won the Most Games in NFL History

Since the National Football League's (NFL) inception in 1920, more than 500 people, mostly former players, have had the privilege of being an NFL head coach. Ten coaches have won more than 200 games, including the following four who are the all-time leaders in coaching victories. 

Don Shula (347) 

Don Shula is the NFL's all-time leader in wins (347) and total regular and postseason games coached (526). The legendary coach compiled a regular season record of 328-156-6 through 33 seasons from 1963-95. A two-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Associated Press (AP) Coach of the Year, Shula began his coaching career with the Baltimore Ravens and, in 1970, was hired to coach the Miami Dolphins.  

Shula led the Dolphins to back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1973. The 1972 Dolphins were the first and remain the only team to finish the regular season and playoffs with an undefeated record. Shula coached the Dolphins for 26 years before retiring in 1996. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997 and passed away in 2020.  

Bill Belichick (329) 

The only active coach in the top-10 list for career victories, Bill Belichick began his head coaching career with the Cleveland Browns in 1991 and was fired following the 1995 season, after compiling a 36-44 record. He was hired by the New England Patriots prior to the 2000 season and has since become the most successful coach in modern NFL history. 

Belichick has won a record six Super Bowls as head coach of the Patriots and leads all coaches with 31 career playoff victories. No other coach has more than 22. Belichick has a 262-108 regular season record in 23 seasons with the Patriots. 

George Halas (324) 

George Halas, who coached during the inaugural NFL season and retired in 1967, held the all-time regular season coaching victories record with 324 until Shula passed him in 1994. Halas was 72 years old when he coached his final game.  

He founded the Chicago Bears and owned the team until 1983. He coached the Bears during four separate stints and compiled a career regular season record of 318-148-31. He had a playoff record of 6-3 and won five NFL Championships. Halas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. 

Tom Landry (270) 

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, Tom Landry won a combined 270 regular season and playoff games through 29 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-88. He led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships and was AP Coach of the Year in 1966. 

These 5 NFL Wide Receivers Scored the Most Touchdowns in 2022

More than 20 players recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in the 2022 National Football League (NFL) season. Yet, only five players scored double-digit receiving touchdowns. Eighteen others scored at least seven touchdowns.  

Here's a look back at the top-five leaders in receiving touchdowns for the 2022 NFL season. 

1. Davante Adams — 14 touchdowns 

A second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 NFL Draft, Davante Adams led all NFL players with 14 receiving touchdowns in 2022. He finished fourth in the category with 11 touchdowns in 2021 and led the league with 18 receiving touchdowns in 2020. Adams, in his first year with the Las Vegas Raiders, also recorded 1,516 receiving yards, the second most in his career, on 100 receptions. He was named a first-team All-Pro for the third consecutive season. 

Adams finished third among all receivers with 24 catches of at least 20 yards and was tied for first place with seven receptions of at least 40 yards.  

2. Travis Kelce — 12 touchdowns 

Travis Kelce, an eight-time Pro Bowl tight end and two-time Super Bowl champion, scored a career-best 12 touchdowns with the Chiefs in 2022. Playing in his 10th NFL season, Kelce also registered career-best marks in receptions (110) and receiving yards (1,338). He was named a first-team All-Pro for the fourth time in his career and finished sixth in the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year voting.  

Kelce has now recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in seven consecutive seasons. He had 19 catches of at least 20 yards in 2022, while 70 of his 110 receptions were for a first down. 

3. A.J. Brown — 11 touchdowns 

Acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles from the Tennessee Titans in April 2022, A.J. Brown had a breakthrough campaign in Philadelphia last season. The 6-foot-1, 226-pound receiver from Starkville, Missouri, recorded career-best marks in receptions (88) and receiving yards (1,496) and tied his career high with 11 touchdowns.  

4. Stefon Diggs — 11 touchdowns 

Playing in his third season with the Buffalo Bills, Stefon Diggs scored a career-best 11 touchdowns on 108 receptions for 1,429 receiving yards in 2022. He caught 70.1 percent of the passes directed his way, including a 53 yard reception. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season. 

5. George Kittle — 11 touchdowns 

A 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end from Madison, Wisconsin, George Kittle scored a career-high 11 touchdowns with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 despite recording his third-fewest receiving yards (765) in a single season. Kittle was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in his six-year career.