Cast your vote for the 2023 Detroit Lions’ most valuable player.
As our 2023 Pride of Detroit draws to a close, it’s time to present the greatest honor of them all: Most Valuable Player. We didn’t define “MVP” specifically for our staff, so ask five different people, and they’ll probably give you five different definitions. Simply put, I wanted to know who the Detroit Lions’ 2023 season’s most valuable player was.
A reminder of all the past awards, which you can still vote on, before we get into our answers. We’ll announce the winners on Monday of next week after the voting is open for the remainder of the week.
eremy Reisman: Goff Jared
There is no one more valuable to the team than quarterback Jared Goff, and I take this award very literally. The team struggles when he does. The team succeeds when he does. And Goff did well for the majority of 2023. In terms of passing yards, yards per attempt, and passer rating, he came in second.
More importantly, Goff made Dan Campbell look good most of the time when the game was on the line. Whether it was Goff taking over in Tampa when the run game faltered, outdueling Justin Herbert in Los Angeles, leading a game-winning drive in Dallas, or securing the first playoff win in thirty years against his archrival, Goff was there to make his coach look good.
Giving out this award is difficult because so many players are essential to this team. However, the offensive line jumps out to me as the main factor in their success during the 2023 campaign. Jared Goff’s impressive passing and David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs’ potent rushing attack were made possible by the blocking. Penei Sewell is my choice for MVP, but Frank Ragnow deserves all the flowers for his outstanding performance despite his injuries. Due to his play, he is headed for the Hall of Fame. He kept the offensive line afloat while Taylor Decker was sidelined due to injury. Though it’s uncommon to refer to an offensive lineman as a game-changer, Sewell most definitely is.
Penei Sewell, by Morgan Cannon
Am I favoring the big guys a little too much? Perhaps, but Sewell was a mainstay in offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s lineup and the best player at his position the entire season.
That series in the Conference Title game, with Sewell moving around and lining up all over the place, is something that I think about all the time. Although most coordinators don’t base their offenses on their tackles, Sewell isn’t your average tackle.
Furthermore, he is only 23 years old. Haha.
