The two co-favorites on the odds to win the 2015 NFL MVP just so happen to be quarterbacks for two teams who are among the favorites to meet in Super Bowl 50. Reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts are both 5/1 to win the honor this season. The Packers are also 6/1 co-favorites to win the Super Bowl along with the Seattle Seahawks out of the NFC while the Colts and defending champion New England Patriots are each 9/1 from the AFC.
Rodgers is coming off an outstanding campaign that was only hampered by a nagging ankle injury, as Green Bay could not advance past Seattle in last year’s NFC Championship Game. He threw for 4,381 yards and 38 touchdowns with just five interceptions in leading the Pack to a 12-4 record and their fourth straight NFC North title.
Luck led the Colts to an 11-5 mark for the third year in a row and their second consecutive AFC South title. He had a career-high 4,761 passing yards with 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions but could not get Indy past New England for the second straight postseason, losing 45-7 in the AFC Championship Game.
The most intriguing name on the NFL MVP list for 2015 may be Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who is listed at 12/1 odds and won it in 2012. Peterson missed almost all of last season due to a personal-conduct suspension. He rushed for 1,266 yards and 10 touchdowns in 14 games the previous year after totaling a career-high 2,097 on the ground during his MVP season.
Another player who is worth watching but will have a difficult time duplicating last year is Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who is 20/1 and finished as MVP runner-up to Rodgers in 2014. Watt was a monster all-around defensively with a career high-tying 20.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries and the first interception of his career. He also lined up as a goal-line receiver on offense and caught three touchdown passes.
Six other quarterbacks for Super Bowl 50 contenders are also in the mix for 2015 NFL MVP, including Tom Brady (20/1) of the Patriots, Russell Wilson (20/1) of the Seahawks, Peyton Manning (16/1) of the Denver Broncos, Drew Brees (20/1) of the New Orleans Saints, Ben Roethlisberger (20/1) of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tony Romo (25/1) of the Dallas Cowboys. Of that group, only Brady and Manning have previously won the award, and they have each taken it home multiple times. Brady is a two-time winner while Manning holds the all-time record with five.
Brees is a former Super Bowl MVP looking for a rebound season and will be without All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham, who will be catching passes from Wilson after being traded to Seattle in the offseason. Last year, the Saints failed to make the playoffs for just the second time in six seasons, with Brees falling only 48 yards short of throwing for 5,000 yards. He had finished with more than 5,000 in each of the previous three years.