The Cincinnati Chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America have named Jessie Bates III as the Bengals’ 2020 MVP, while Giovani Bernard was the organization’s annual “Good Guy” award.
This marks the first MVP for Bates, in his third season out of Wake Forest. Bates finished as the top graded safety in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, and led their stats in total interceptions plus passes defensed.
“Bates was a runaway winner, putting together one of the most impressive Bengals seasons by an individual defensive player in recent years,” said Cincinnati Chapter President Paul Dehner Jr.