While the NFL won’t announce its official award winners for the 2024 season until the week of the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams have handed out some honors of their own. The team announced its award recipients for MVP, Rookie of the Year and two other accolades, selecting players who deserve to be recognized.
The Rams gave their Daniel F. Reeves Memorial Award to Matthew Stafford, selecting him as the team’s Most Valuable Player for this season. Stafford has been terrific all year, but particularly in the second half of the season. He’s led the Rams to a 10-6 record and wins in nine of their last 11 games, throwing 20 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions.
He’s also racked up 3,762 yards and his 93.7 passer rating is his highest since 2021. He’s gotten help from the offensive line, only being sacked 28 times in 16 games, his fewest in a full season since 2013.
The Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award went to Jared Verse as the team’s Rookie of the Year. Verse is likely to win AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, too, for the fantastic season he’s had. He leads all rookies with 74 pressures, and also has 11 tackles for a loss to go with 4.5 sacks. Though Braden Fiske has more sacks, Verse has been a consistent disruptor on the edge and a big reason the Rams’ defense has made the strides that it has.
Tyler Higbee was a double-recipient this season for his remarkable comeback. He was given the Carl Ekern Spirit of the Game Award for his sportsmanship, ethic and commitment to teammates, as well as the and Ed Block Courage Award for being a “role model of inspiration, sportsmanship and courage.”
Higbee battled back from offseason shoulder and knee surgeries to play in the Rams’ Week 16 game against the Jets, catching what proved to be the game-winning touchdown pass from 11 yards out in his first game since tearing his ACL and MCL in January.
All three players are very deserving of these awards and have played a part in Los Angeles’ success this season, making them great selections by the team.