Mike Kadlick#16 of 87 NFL pundits · Nov 12, 2026
At the midseason mark Kadlick picks Jordan Love for MVP, Jahmyr Gibbs for Offensive Player of the Year, Will Anderson Jr. for Defensive Player of the Year, Ben Johnson for Coach of the Year, Patrick Mahomes for Comeback Player of the Year, Carnell Tate for Offensive Rookie of the Year, David Bailey for Defensive Rookie of the Year and Penei Sewell for Protector of the Year.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Mike Kadlick said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThat said, my pick here is Ben Johnson.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- 2026 NFL Midseason Awards: Debating Our Picks for MVP, Coach of the Year and Every Major Honor
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Will Anderson Jr. to win Defensive Player of the Year“Defensive Player of the Year — Mike Kadlick: Will Anderson Jr., edge, Texans”
- 2David Bailey to win Defensive Rookie of the Year“Defensive Rookie of the Year — Mike Kadlick: David Bailey, edge, Jets”
- 3Carnell Tate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year“Offensive Rookie of the Year — Mike Kadlick: Carnell Tate, WR, Titans ... Tate's my pick at the halfway point”
- 4Penei Sewell to win Protector of the Year“Protector of the Year — Mike Kadlick: Penei Sewell, OT, Lions ... is more than deserving of the league's second-annual Protector of the Year award in 2026.”
- 5Jahmyr Gibbs to win Offensive Player of the Year“Offensive Player of the Year — Mike Kadlick: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions”
- 6Jordan Love to win MVP“Mike Kadlick: Jordan Love, QB, Packers ... what the Packers' quarterback did on Sunday against the Patriots has catapulted him to the top of my list.”
- 7Patrick Mahomes to win Comeback Player of the Year“Comeback Player of the Year — Mike Kadlick: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs”
- 8Ben Johnson to win Coach of the Year“Coach of the Year — Mike Kadlick: Ben Johnson, Bears. That said, my pick here is Ben Johnson.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Anderson Jr. to win Defensive Player of the Year1 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| David Bailey to win Defensive Rookie of the Year2 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Carnell Tate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year3 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Penei Sewell to win Protector of the Year4 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Jahmyr Gibbs to win Offensive Player of the Year5 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Jordan Love to win MVP6 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Patrick Mahomes to win Comeback Player of the Year7 | Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Ben Johnson to win Coach of the Year8 | Coach Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 calls · 8 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
8 checkable claims — 7 award picks and 1 coach award pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 13 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Award PicksWill Anderson Jr.Houston Texans
Will Anderson Jr. to win Defensive Player of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Award PicksDavid BaileyNew York Jets
David Bailey to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Award PicksCarnell TateTennessee Titans
Carnell Tate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Award PicksPenei SewellDetroit Lions
Penei Sewell to win Protector of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Award PicksJahmyr GibbsDetroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs to win Offensive Player of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Award PicksJordan LoveGreen Bay Packers
Jordan Love to win MVP
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
7Award PicksPatrick MahomesKansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes to win Comeback Player of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Ben Johnson to win Coach of the Year
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans, David Bailey, New York Jets, Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans, Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers, Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Others on the same people
Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.Jordan Dajani · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension.Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.
More award picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Willie Colon · Award Picks · Sam Darnold · Miss 0
Colon picked the Seahawks to win 24-14 with Sam Darnold as Super Bowl MVP.Danny Parkins · Award Picks · Jaxon Smith-Njigba · Miss 0
Parkins picked Seattle to win 27-16 with Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Super Bowl MVP.