MVP’s IF Quarterbacks Didn’t Exist!

is the MVP now a quarterbacks award it's proven to be the case as 14 of the last 15 winners have come from the QB position but what if you wiped signal callers from contention who would have won the MVP in every single season of the Super Bowl era let's kick it off with this guy [Applause] Cooper cup was automatic in 2021 leading the Rams all the way to the Lombardi trophy he was offensive player of the year becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to win the receiving Triple Crown cup had a league High 145 catches 1947 yards and 16 scores we also have to mention Steelers linebacker TJ watt who tied the single season record with 22 and a half sacks instead it was Aaron Rodgers who took home his fourth MVP trophy with another dominant season in Green Bay Rogers went back to back also winning in 2020 48 touchdowns to just five picks will usually get the job done but what about Derrick Henry the Titans power back became just the eighth player ever to rush for 2 000 yards in a single season Henry LED Tennessee to an 11-5 record and an AFC South title gaining 200 yards on three separate occasions and oh by the way his 17 rushing touchdowns were tops in the league Lamar Jackson was the second unanimous MVP in league history no one came close to him in 2019 but if QB's didn't exist we'd look to a dominant receiver in New Orleans one of 144 receptions Mike Thomas is your new single season record holder Michael Thomas was Mr consistent snagging 10 plus catches in nine different games he led the Saints to a 13-3 campaign winning offensive player of the year with over 1700 receiving yards Thomas broke Marvin Harrison's record for catches in a single season with a game to spare the record-setting year barely beats out Christian McCaffrey who had one of his own in 2019 CMC became just the third player ever with a thousand rushing and receiving yards in the same season 2018 was defined by up-and-coming Superstar Patrick Mahomes 5 000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns is quite the debut season but even he couldn't get through Aaron Donald taken down for ball is loose picked up returns it for the score maybe the best player in the National Football League number 99 Aaron Donald the defensive player of the year tormented opposing quarterbacks leading the NFL with 20 and a half sacks Donald racked up 41 QB hits forced four fumbles and a league best 25 tackles for loss all while leading the Rams to Super Bowl 53 the goat took home his third MVP in 2017 leading the pass to another Super Bowl but out west it was a different LA Star making his case stronger Defender a lot of Rams on this list early Todd Gurley was a monster in 2017 he was named offensive player of the year and rightfully so 2093 yards from scrimmage most in the NFL 19 total touchdowns most in the NFL Gurley was a prolific dual threat leading the Rams to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. that's where they lost to Matt Ryan the 2016 MVP winner and while Maddie ice was a machine that year another stud NFC rusher was bursting onto the scene for the touchdown Ezekiel Elliott was nothing short of exceptional in his first season racking up a league High 1631 yards on the ground and 16 total scores in a world without quarterbacks he'd also be Rookie of the Year as backfield mate Dak Prescott earned that honor the duo transformed the Cowboys from 4 and 12 to an NFC best 13-3 Cam Newton was the League's most valuable player in 2015. Superman led the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl berth at the same time JJ Watt was on an unprecedented Terror in Houston and it was one who stripped him the runaway Defensive Player of the Year winner terrorized his opponents in a fourth straight All-Pro season what a masked 17 and a half sacks and 29 tackles for loss both League bests the Texans went 9-7 and earned a division title and if quarterbacks didn't exist this would be his second straight MVP honor as good as what was that year he was even better in 2014. stop your screen they go his way one oh my God he's saying he's got it number 99 was probably the best all-around athlete in football That season he tallied 20 and a half sacks 51 QB hits 29 tackles for loss four forced fumbles and a pick six the defensive player of the year even scored three yes three offensive touchdowns to top it all off his five total scores were the most for any lineman since 1944. not bad but he wasn't MVP that went to Aaron Rodgers in another prolific season for the pack if you want to talk gaudy numbers there's Peyton Manning in 2013 the sheriff took home an unprecedented fifth MVP after a single season record for passing yards and touchdowns but let's entertain a QB free Universe where two Superstar running backs take home the hardware instead and Charles now a foot race goodbye Jamal Charles dropped four scores in the first half on the Raiders on his way to a 5td masterpiece in week 15 and that was no fluke the chief's Speedster dominated in 2013 racking up nearly 2 000 yards from scrimmage and a league best 19 touchdowns meanwhile his NFC counterpart LaShawn McCoy was doing similar damage Shady was a Workhorse leading the league in total touches rushing yards and yards from scrimmage the electrifying back added 11 touchdowns and led the Eagles to a division title Rob Gronkowski now he produced the best season ever for a tight end in 2011. still on his feet and five touchdown in just his second year the All-Pro hauled in 90 catches for over 1300 yards and 18 total touchdowns obliterating the previous tight end record of 13. Gronk recorded seven multi-touchdown games as the Patriots reached Super Bowl 46 but 2011 was all about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers the MVP tossed 45 scores in just six interceptions in a 15-1 season we'll allow it a year earlier it was gronk's quarterback earning a unanimous MVP nod sure Tom Brady was the obvious choice but that's no fun the new MVP how about Troy Polamalu oh my goodness the defensive player of the year was a bona fide wrecking ball in 2010 Polamalu did it all for the Steelers racking up 63 tackles seven interceptions a sack a forced fumble and a touchdown in just 14 games with number 3 patrolling the secondary Pittsburgh boasted the League's top scoring defense and earned its third Super Bowl appearance in six seasons Polamalu's effort barely beats out Aryan Foster who amassed over 2200 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns both League bests for this next decade let's just pretend Peyton Manning doesn't exist it'll make this list go much faster the sheriff want a staggering four MVPs in 2003 0408 and 09 and we're bypassing all of them because he's just too good so our 2009 MVP is none other than cj2k [Applause] Chris Johnson became just the sixth rusher in NFL history to join the 2000 yard Club totaling 16 scores and a record 259 yards from scrimmage for the Titans the offensive player of the year handled a league high four 408 touches while ripping off a ridiculous 5.6 yards per carry for 2008 the honor goes to a Steelers Super Bowl hero James Harrison to turn back Harrison going down the sideline Harrison saw on his feet while James Harrison cemented his legacy in Super Bowl 43 his regular season was no less impressive the undrafted stud recorded 92 total tackles 16 sacks an interception a safety and a league leading seven forced fumbles Harrison was named Defensive Player of the Year beating out fellow pass rusher DeMarcus Ware whose 20 sacks also made him a prime candidate for this list in fact 2008 was stacked with MVP Talent safety Ed Reed and his three return touchdowns deserves a mention as do running backs Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner who put up Pro Bowl seasons of their own the 2007 regular season was all about the Patriots so if Tom Brady and his then record 50 passing touchdowns was an MVP his teammate Randy Moss would be catch that touchdown look dominant on paper and he was 98 catches for nearly 1500 yards and an NFL record 23 receiving touchdowns is nothing to scoff at but the way he toyed with secondaries was truly terrifying he looked like a varsity senior playing against the neighborhood middle school that is of course until Super Bowl 42. it's 2004 now and Peyton Manning still doesn't exist alas this year it's all about Ed Reed the definition of Ball Hawk and when he got his hands on the Rock he was a game breaker 100 and three yards the Ravens allowed 14 passing touchdowns in 2004 tied for the fewest in the league the defensive player of the year snagged nine interceptions and returned them for 358 yards both League highs he also racked up 78 tackles two sacks three forced fumbles and two touchdowns we also want to mention Curtis Martin who led the league with 1700 rushing yards carrying the Jets to a playoff berth Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared MVP honors in 2003 but were going with a record-setting pair of running backs I'd say he's going to get his touches Jamal Lewis detonated in week two rattling off an NFL record 295 yards against the Browns the offensive player of the year led the league with 2066 rushing yards along with 14 touchdowns Lewis became the fifth player ever to hit the 2000 yard Mark as the ray Ravens clinched their first division title in franchise history meanwhile Lewis's former teammate was orchestrating an all-time season in Kansas City there's the NFL record for priest home priest Holmes was the Catalyst for the Chiefs League leading scoring offense the 30-year-old compiled 2110 scrimmage yards and a then record 27 rushing scores it's wild to think that these studs shared a backfield just three years earlier Holmes was also a beast in 2002 taking home offensive player of the year honors but he wasn't MVP Rich Gannon was who led the Raiders to an AFC title in Super Bowl 37 Oakland was no match for the bucks and Derrick Brooks our choice for MVP That season Brooks who ran back three interceptions for touchdowns in the regular season does it to cement the Super Bowl Brooks recorded courted four defensive touchdowns in 2002 a league best and an unheard of number for a linebacker in all the future Hall of Famer notched five picks and 118 total tackles as the Buccaneers boasted the League's top defense the greatest show on turf was really something special Kurt Warner was League MVP in 2001 but it could have easily been teammate Marshall Faulk we'll be talking about him for a bit falk's three-year run was as productive As It Gets [Applause] if Warner was the driver of the St Louis offense Falk was the engine he produced a league best 21 touchdowns in just 14 games and finished second with 2147 yards from scrimmage the dynamic back ripped off an NFL High 5.3 yards per carry on his way to offensive player of the year honors and a Super Bowl berth quick mention of Michael Strahan 2 who was football's best defender and the new single season sack leader in 2001 but we gotta get back to Marshall Faulk was even better a year earlier earning MVP honors outright in 99 Warner secured the first of his two MVP awards and again his running back was nearly as good gets across the line of scrimmage and then some more breaks a tackle at the 25 to the 20. heading to the outside of the 10 to the five touchdown Ram in his first season with with the Rams false versatility was on full display as he talked the NFL with over 2400 yards from scrimmage the All-Pro became just the second player ever to gain a thousand yards rushing and receiving in the same season he was Again The Runaway offensive player of the year guiding St Louis to a win in Super Bowl 34. Brett Favre won a record three consecutive MVPs from 1995 to 1997 but that third one was actually shared with another guy you may have heard of [Applause] if we're wiping quarterbacks off the board Sanders 2 000 yard season wins MVP in 1997. the future Hall of Famer averaged an absurd 6.1 yards per carry becoming the third player to hit 2000 on the ground Sanders won offensive player of the year and piled up nearly 2 400 yards from scrimmage leading Detroit to the playoffs in 96 Terrell Davis was the man of the hour Elway hands off Davis right side big hole Davis Tyrell Davis Denver's Marquee back found the end zone 15 times and rumbled for 1538 yards breaking a 22 year old franchise record TD powered the Broncos to 13 wins and was named offensive player of the year pretty good okay we're in 1995 now still no Brett Favre remember instead we're giving out co-mbps to arguably the best ever after positions here's rice makes a cut into the end it was a banner year for Jerry Rice who became the all-time leader on receptions and yardage in 1995. all while setting a single season record with 1848 receiving yards he had five games of at least 150 yards including a 289-yard three touchdown Masterpiece in week 16. meanwhile Emma Smith was cementing his legacy in Dallas Mr consistent led the NFL with nearly 1800 yards and a then record 25 rushing scores Smith hit the century mark in 11 of his 16 regular season games and delivered the Cowboys its third title in four years now we're in 1994 when Steve Young delivered a career best performance earning a second MVP as the League's most efficient passer but in a QB free scenario Barry gets another one but he cuts inside of the 15 outside of the 10. Barry this is five and touchdown The Human Highlight Reel was added again in 94. Sanders led the league with nearly 1900 rushing yards as usual he galloped through defenses racking up 5.7 yards per carry Sanders rushed for over 150 yards in five separate games and one offensive player of the year we're back to Emmett for 1992 while Steve Young would earn his first MVP Smith and the Cowboys eventually knocked the 49ers out of the playoffs and Smith will easily stroll in Aikman back he's pressured he throws it out Smith's there he's got the first down coming right the five irvins black puts him in the Dallas Legend talked the NFL in rushing for the second straight season Smith's 19 total touchdowns were also a league high as the Cowboys went on to win their first Super Bowl since 1977. defensive end Bruce Smith gets our MVP vote in 1990 the Bill's Legend was Defensive Player of the Year 19 sacks and over a hundred tackles he barely beat out Derrick Thomas who led the league with 20 sacks and six forced fumbles unfortunately for both of them Joe Montana was still in Prime condition securing his second straight MVP selection so if we're not talking about Montana in 89 who is our non-quarterback winner then I bet you wouldn't have guessed Keith Millard along with an interception 25-30 Millard was the centerpiece of a vicious Minnesota defense in the late 80s and he deserves his day in the Sun the defensive tackle was a pass rushing machine totaling 18 sacks an interception fumble recovery and a touchdown Boomer Esiason was MVP in 1988 and nearly beat the Niners in Super Bowl 23 but San Francisco ruled the NFL for about a decade and that's why we're talking about Roger Craig now what a run by Roger Craig you'll never see a better one than that in case Bill Walsh didn't have enough offensive Talent Craig erupted in 1988 breaking the franchise single season rushing record he was named offensive player of the year gaining over 2 000 yards from scrimmage jump back a year earlier same team different player it's arguably the biggest MVP snub of all time Jerry Rice he has more touchdowns than NASA I think at this point in just his third season Jerry Rice hauled in 22 receiving touchdowns in NFL record before Moss topped it 20 years later but rice did it in 12 games he was the offensive player of the year as the 49ers marched to a 13-2 record nonetheless the MVP went to John Elway who guided Denver to a second straight Super Bowl appearance Dan Marino tore up the record books in 1984 breaking six major NFL passing records there's no doubting his MVP but what about Eric Dickerson he's got it brand new single season rushing record the second year back rushed for a ridiculous 21 hundred and five yards setting an NFL record that still stands today Dickerson couldn't be stopped averaging 5.6 yards per carry and tying the league lead with 14 rushing touchdowns but that shouldn't be surprising considering he delivered the greatest rookie rushing season of all time just a year prior Dickerson will go 441 touches 2212 yards from scrimmage and 18 rushing touchdowns all are still rookie bests 40 years later the SMU Phenom finished second MVP voting in 1983 the hardware went to Joe Theisman who guided the reigning Champs to their second straight NFC title Ken Anderson was League MVP in 1981 taking the Bengals all the way to Super Bowl 16 but let's consider Tony Dorsett 35-40 still on his feet at the 50 one more block he might go the Dallas back earned his only career All-Pro nod and nearly carried the Cowboys to a Super Bowl he was the constant for America's team racking up nearly 2 000 yards from scrimmage before we hit our final stretch it's time to talk about Earl Campbell like Emma and Falk earlier Campbell is on this list by sandwiching his actual MVP season between two near equally dominant displays [Applause] Campbell completed the rushing trifecta in 1980 leading the league in carries yards and tied for the most rushing scores the offensive player of the year amassed nearly 2 000 yards and led the Oilers to the playoffs but he was an MVP any guesses how about Brown's quarterback Brian Sipe go figure maybe it's because Campbell was coming off an actual MVP season in 1979 and preceded that one with an absolutely iconic rookie year [Applause] the Texas stud was a one-man wrecking crew in 1978 he led the NFL in rushing was named offensive player of the year and took the Oilers to the AFC Championship game as a rookie but the MVP went to Terry Bradshaw who delivered another Super Bowl season for Pittsburgh and when you think of 70 Steelers you must bring up Jack Lambert jacked Lambert All Pro hidden 75 Lambert epitomized the gritty Steel Curtain defense and had a spectacular season in 1976 he tallied two picks and a league High eight fumble recoveries Lambert was the defensive player of the year but he wasn't MVP that honor went to Colts quarterback Bert Jones Vikings Legend Fran Tarkenton was anointed as the League's most valuable player in 1975 but he barely beat out O.J Simpson who topped the league in nearly every rushing category you probably know Ken Stabler he was MVP in 1974 but can we interest you in Terry Metcalf he played just six seasons in the NFL but in 1974 he was the League's most versatile player Terry metcalf's 75-yard touchdown run was the longest of the season in the NFL the second year running back amassed 2058 all-purpose yards and eight scores the Cardinals went 10-4 and were playoff Bound for the first time in 26 years John Brody earned MVP honors in 1970 and his wide receiver Gene Washington earns an honorable mention but we're here to talk about Vikings defensive end Alan Page Paige actually won MVP in 1971 and he was just as dominant a year earlier the future Hall of Famer gobbled up a league best seven fumble recoveries the purple people eaters seeded the fewest points in the NFL finishing 12-2 in 1969 its Paige's teammate Carl Eller who gets the nod led by the All-Pro lineman Minnesota's defense allowed fewer than 10 points per game as they reached Super Bowl 4. in 1968 Earl moral replaced an injured Johnny Unitas and earned League MVP no doubt a great story but we have to shed some light on Leroy Kelly it's an indestructible Force named Kelly contributed 127 yards and three touchdowns Kelly was easily the League's best rusher That season leading the league with over 1500 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns he rallied to the NFL championship game where they fell to moral and the Colts a year earlier unidis was fully healthy and also League MVP but even he couldn't shake Deacon Jones probably the scariest of the Rams Fearsome Foursome Jones actually coined the term sack and he had a bunch of them in 1967 with number 75 in Pursuit La Field of the League's best scoring defense finishing 11-1-2 it's finally time to put a bow on this list now Bart Starr LED his team to a win in their first ever Super Bowl so he probably deserves MVP but let's erase quarterbacks one last time and teach you a thing or two about Larry Wilson the Hall of Fame safety was everywhere in 1966 leading the league with 10 interceptions and returning two of those for touchdowns Wilson even got six MVP votes himself and they were all well deserved [Music]

Channel: NFL Throwback

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Keywords: nfl, american football, nfl history, nfl highlights, nfl vault, nfl throwback

Id: MVaI8WU_g2Q

Length: 25min 30sec (1530 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 02 2023