CBS Staff Predicts Jaguars Super Bowl Win Amid Wild NFL Midseason
Voters chose Joe Burrow as MVP and John Harbaugh as Coach of the Year, noting a season defined by injuries and unexpected team performances.
By Rosa Wojcik ·
The CBS Sports NFL staff selected the Jacksonville Jaguars as the top choice to win the Super Bowl in a midseason survey conducted during Week 10. Four of the fifteen voters picked the Jaguars to take the title, while the San Francisco 49ers received three votes. The Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Denver Broncos tied for third place with two votes each. The Bears were the most popular pick to lose the Super Bowl, receiving five votes.
Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals emerged as the clear favorite for Most Valuable Player, capturing eleven of the fifteen available votes. The quarterback leads the league in completion percentage at 74%, passing touchdowns with 23, and passer rating at 114.8. He has recorded at least four total touchdowns in each of his last four games. Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars received the remaining two votes for MVP.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks received the most votes for Offensive Player of the Year with six selections. He leads the NFL with 1,036 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. His race is tight, as Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions and Kenneth Walker III of the Kansas City Chiefs tied for second with four votes each. Gibbs leads the league with 1,132 scrimmage yards, while Walker ranks fourth in that category.
Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans won the vote for Defensive Player of the Year with six picks. He leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks and ranks second with 12 tackles for loss. Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers came in second with five votes. Warner is tied for the league lead with five forced fumbles and has 77 total tackles.
Denzel Boston of the Cleveland Browns topped the voting for Offensive Rookie of the Year with seven votes. He leads all rookies with 507 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Arvell Reese of the New York Giants received nine votes for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Reese recently became the youngest player in NFL history to record a three-sack game and is the only player this season with at least 65 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and an interception.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs was the top pick for Comeback Player of the Year with nine votes. He returned for Week 1 after tearing his ACL and LCL in December 2025. He currently ranks in the top ten in completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown-to-interception rate, and passer rating.
Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions won the vote for Protector of the Year with twelve selections. He has transitioned from right tackle to left tackle, allowing only one sack and three quarterback hits in 298 pass-blocking snaps. Pro Football Focus grades him as the No. 1 tackle overall and in run blocking, while he ranks fourth in pass blocking.
John Harbaugh of the New York Giants received seven votes for Coach of the Year in his first season in New York. The Giants are 5-2-1 despite losing starting quarterback Jaxson Dart in Week 2. Harbaugh has previously won this award in 2019. Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings won the vote for Assistant Coach of the Year with 11 votes. The Vikings rank first in sack rate and red-zone efficiency and allow only 14.5 points per game, the best mark in the league.
The season is marked by significant volatility. The Los Angeles Rams, who started as Super Bowl favorites, are now on the edge of the playoff picture due to injuries. The New York Giants lead the NFC East after using three different starting quarterbacks. The Los Angeles Chargers, who won 11 games in each of the past two seasons, are currently winless. The NFL staff also selected James Gladstone of the Jacksonville Jaguars as Executive of the Year with seven votes, citing his trade deadline acquisitions of Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III.
