Sports 7 January 2026

Pro Football Writers of America names Ja’Marr Chase Bengals’ MVP

The Cincinnati Chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America has named WR Ja’Marr Chase as the Bengals’ Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season.

Chase is the fourth wide receiver to win the honor since its inception in 2002, joining T.J. Houshmandzadeh, A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd. He received the highest point total of all votes submitted this year, with HB Chase Brown coming in second and CB DJ Turner II in third.

“Ja’Marr Chase followed up a record-setting triple crown season with another year that proves he is among the elite receivers in the NFL,” said chapter president Mike Petraglia. “Assuming new duties as a team captain and playing eight games without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase constantly was the focus of opposing defenses and established himself as one of the best receivers in franchise history.”

A fifth-year player in 2025, Chase followed up his historic ’24 season with another productive campaign. He led all AFC players in receptions (125) and receiving yards (1412), and was tied for second in the conference in receiving TDs (eight). He became the first player in NFL history to record at least 80 receptions, 1000 receiving yards and seven receiving TDs in each of his first five seasons.

Chase has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his five seasons since the Bengals drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2021.

Past MVP winners have been QB Jon Kitna (2002-03), HB Rudi Johnson (’04), QB Carson Palmer (’05), OT Willie Anderson (’06), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (’07-08), CBs Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph (’09), OT Andrew Whitworth (’10), QB Andy Dalton (’11 and ’15), DT Geno Atkins (’12 and ’17), LB Vontaze Burfict (’13), HB Jeremy Hill (’14), WR A.J. Green (’16), HB Joe Mixon (’18), WR Tyler Boyd (’19), S Jessie Bates III (’20), DE Trey Hendrickson (’23) and Burrow (’21, ’22 and ‘24).

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