Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan Named NFL MVP Ahead Of Super Bowl 51

On the eve of Super Bowl 51, regular-season awards were handed out at the NFL Honors awards show with some of the league’s best players in attendance. Quarterback Matt Ryan of the Super Bowl-bound Atlanta Falcons came away with top honors.

The veteran gunslinger was able to beat out his opponent for Sunday’s showdown, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, for NFL MVP, via ESPN’s Vaughn McClure:

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was named NFL MVP at Saturday night’s NFL Honors awards show, capping a career-best season in which he guided the team to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1999.

Although Brady has dominated the headlines throughout the season and leading up to Super Bowl 51 with history on the line, Ryan’s performance during the 2016 regular season was more than worthy of earning MVP honors.

Four players received MVP votes from the media with Ryan coming out on top in convincing fashion. The Falcons star beat Brady by 15 votes. Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders also received votes, via McClure:

Ryan, 31, received 25 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady finished second with 10 votes, followed by Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who each received six.

In 16 games, Ryan threw for a career-high 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. The 31-year-old quarterback helped lead the high-power offense of the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a Super Bowl berth.

The Falcons are currently +3 underdogs in Super Bowl 51, according to Sportsbook.ag.