How recent NFL MVPs have fared the year after winning the award

With Lamar Jackson winning the 2019 NFL MVP award, how have previous winners and their teams fared the following season?

Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

2016 – QB Matt Ryan

Ryan has been, for the bulk of his NFL career, very good. In 2016, he was sensational. He set career highs with 4,944 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns as he led the explosive Atlanta Falcons offense to an 11-5 mark and a place in the Super Bowl. Famously, the Falcons lost that match despite owning a 28-3 advantage over the Patriots at one point.

In 2017, Ryan passed for 4,095 yards and 20 touchdowns. Good numbers, but it was his lowest yardage total since 2010 and you had to go back to his rookie year of 2008 to find a year with fewer touchdowns. The Falcons still made the playoffs and won in Los Angeles in the Wild Card round. But they lost a nail biter to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round, and Ryan has gone 14-17 as a starter since then.