Social Media Reaction | Mackey Award Snubs Michael Mayer Again

Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer wasn’t named a finalist for the John Mackey Award a year ago as a sophomore. 

It was an odd move, but one that saw backlash especially from then Notre Dame tight end coach John McNulty as he sent out a series of tweets following the announcement. 

Well, Mayer was likely snubbed once again as Georgia sophomore Brock Bowers took home the Mackey Award on Wednesday night. 

In 2022, Mayer recorded 67 receptions for 809 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games, while Bowers tallied 52 catches for 726 yards and six touchdowns. 

If one breaks it down further and puts stock in PFF, Mayer finished with an overall grade of 92.5, which was the highest for a tight end in the country. Bowers was No. 7 at 84.9. Mayer also recorded a higher run blocking grade (82.1) than Bowers (72.7). 

Now, no one is denying Bowers is a fine tight end and more than deserving of the award, but the snub two years in a row to Mayer is pretty wild. 

In addition to Bowers and Mayer, Iowa’s Sam LaPorta was named a finalist. The Mackey Award did not reward Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid for having a monster year with 70 catches for 890 yards and eight touchdowns. If you were wondering, LaPorta, who is a fine tight end, finished the year with 53 catches for 601 yards and one touchdown. 

Here’s a quick summary of the reaction to Mayer not winning the Mackey Award: 

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