KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Patrick Mahomes is the MVP.
At least for the Chiefs.
The quarterback who threw 50 touchdown passes and for more than 5,000 yards in his first season as the starter earned the team's Derrick Thomas MVP Award, as announced Friday morning. Tackle Andrew Wylie, in his first year with the club, earned the team's Mack Lee Hill Rookie of the Year honor.
Mahomes also earned a spot on the AP All-Pro team along with three of his teammates: Tyreek Hill (flex), Travis Kelce (tight end) and Mitchell Schwartz (right tackle). Mahomes earned 45 of 50 possible votes at the quarterback position. Mahomes and Schwartz are first-time members of the AP All-Pro team. Chris Jones made the AP All-Pro second team as an interior lineman.
Recent previous winners of the Derrick Thomas MVP Award include Alex Smith and Eric Berry.
The Rookie of the Year award is given in memory of Mack Lee Hill, who died during knee surgery in 1965. It's given every year to the top-performing rookie or first-year player. Since the injury to Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Wylie has started the last 10 games at right tackle.
Though Wylie is in his second year in the NFL, he's eligible for the award because it's his first year on an active roster. Wylie signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017, but was released in September 2017. After short stints on the Browns and Chargers practice squads, Wylie joined Kansas City's practice squad in late December 2017 and was signed to the active roster in January 2018.
The last first-year player to win the award was Mike Maslowski in 1999. He technically joined the league in 1997 when he signed with the San Diego Chargers as a rookie free agent. He was cut before the season started.
Both awards are voted on by all Chiefs players.
