On December 2, Bills quarterback Josh Allen emerged as a heavy-betting favorite to win the NFL MVP award. We didn’t buy it.
But not because Allen didn’t deserve frontrunner status. He did. He still does. However, we knew it would not last. We predicted that the sports media would pull out all the cards, including the race card, to cost Allen the award in favor of a black player.
And that is exactly what is happening.
Look no further than “First Take,” ESPN’s flagship daily sports talk program. This week, with Stephen A. Smith on vacation, the show has introduced a cast of commentators to discuss the MVP race. You’d assume a debate show would cast a diverse set of voices to debate who should win the award between Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Nope.