Pro Football Focus does a great job of providing and using analytics to teach football fans more about the game. Their grades are now very visible on Sunday Night Football thanks to Cris Collinsworth’s involvement with the website. Recently, they crowned their Dwight Stephenson award winner. Stephenson was a center for the Miami Dolphins from 1980 to 1987 and he was enshrined in Canton in 1998. The goal of the Stephenson award is to crown the best player in football.
The problem with the Most Valuable Player award is that it always goes to the best quarterback. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best player in the league. In fact, five Stephenson’s awards have been split between J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. They — unfortunately — have almost no shot of ever winning an MVP.
So this year’s award for best player in the NFL didn’t go to a quarterback. It didn’t go to a defensive menace. It went to someone who plays a position that will never win MVP. It went to All-Pro and Super Bowl participant George Kittle.
George Kittle is the best player in football@PFF_Sam:https://t.co/PNBe5lQHqz
— PFF (@PFF) January 23, 2020
Kittle was absolutely dominant according to PFF. He has the best score for a tight end ever — and yes that includes every year that Rob Gronkowski. It makes sense. Kittle is unparalleled when it comes to blocking at the tight end spot. He is a major reason that the Niners are dominant with the ground game. He’s also a mismatch in the passing the game. Kittle being able to do both allows Kyle Shanahan to scheme and create mismatches for the Niners no matter the situation.
So here is your new king, NFL analytics fans. George Kittle is the best player in football.