Super Bowl: Kansas City's Marquez Valdes-Scantling expects Aaron Rodgers to compete for MVP next season

Kansas City wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling, left, and Jets quarterback Aaron... — Kansas City wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling, left, and Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Credit: Getty Images; Jim McIsaac

By Al Iannazzoneal.iannazzone@newsday.com Al_IannazzoneUpdated February 7, 2024

LAS VEGAS — Marquez Valdes-Scantling was heartbroken when he saw his former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, get injured in Week 1. The Kansas City receiver believes Rodgers will have a prolific and historic return for the Jets next year.

“I expect him to go out there and have another MVP season,” Valdes-Scantling said on Tuesday. “He’s one of the best to ever do it. I’m excited to see him get back healthy and go out there and throw the ball really well.”

The Jets, their coaching staff and the front office hope that Valdes-Scantling is right. A lot of jobs depend on Rodgers returning to the form that made him a four-time MVP in Green Bay. Valdes-Scantling was his teammate for two of those seasons.

If Rodgers wins MVP next year, he will join Peyton Manning as the only NFL players with five. It would be even more impressive considering Rodgers is 40 years old and coming back from a torn left Achilles tendon.

Rodgers will be fueled by doubters who think he can’t be the same player. That could bode well for the Jets, but their No. 1 concern is that Rodgers stays on the field. The Jets’ offense looked ghastly at times after Rodgers’ year ended four snaps into the season.

“That broke my heart to watch him,” Valdes-Scantling said. “I know the work he puts in, I know the competitive nature that he has. I talked to him after he got hurt. I talked to him two weeks ago. We still have a great relationship. I’m super excited to see him come back next year and play.”

Valdes-Scantling left Green Bay in 2022 to chase Super Bowls. That part has worked out for him. Valdes-Scantling will be playing in his second straight Super Bowl on Sunday when Kansas City tries to repeat as champions against San Francisco.

Things haven’t gone that smoothly for Valdes-Scantling since signing a three-year, $30 million deal with Kansas City, though.

Valdes Scantling, who led the NFL with 20.9 yards per reception in Rodgers’ third MVP campaign in 2019, has caught 63 passes for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with Kansas City.

Much more has been made about his dropped passes than some of the big moments he’s had playing with Patrick Mahomes.

Valdes-Scantling had eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in last year’s AFC Championship Game victory over Cincinnati. This year, his 32-yard catch on third-and-9 just before the two-minute warning iced the AFC Championship Game win over Baltimore.

“MVS has done a real nice job with that,” Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. “He had a couple of big drops early in the season. He just kept working. He’s mentally tough. He’s smart. He understands the offense. He just pounded through it. It worked out. The quarterback maintained confidence in him and we kept using him throughout.”

Valdes-Scantling was happy to come through for Kansas City, but he said it wasn’t a redemptive moment.

“It was great to help my team to get to a victory,” Valdes-Scantling said. “But it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t like, ‘This is a weight off my shoulders' or anything like that. It was just great to help this team win the game.”

There is speculation about Valdes-Scantling’s future in Kansas City because of his struggles, but he hopes to continue to play with Mahomes for a long time. Valdes-Scantling feels fortunate that he has caught passes from Rodgers and Mahomes in his career.

“I’ve played with the two best quarterbacks to ever play this game, especially when it comes to arm talent,” Valdes-Scantling said. “[Tom] Brady has all the statistics. I think Pat’s getting pretty close to breaking some of those. When it comes to arm talent, between Aaron and Pat, they’re equal.

“Having those two guys be my quarterback for my career has been nothing but life changing. I’m grateful for both those guys. I got great friendships with both those guys. I hope that I can finish my career here with Pat and watch Aaron finish his career over in New York. It’d be good.”