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Why Nfl Mvp Doesn T Just Have To Be A Qb Award Nbc Sports

Bonisiwe Shabane
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why nfl mvp doesn t just have to be a qb award nbc sports

Year after year, especially since 2012, the MVP race follows a tired formula: quarterbacks front and center, everyone else fading into the background. Since 1966, QBs have claimed 44 MVPs. Defensive players? Just two. Running backs? A shrinking minority.

And while the NFL evolves, the voters’ habits remain stuck on repeat. The MVP isn’t just about stats, it’s about storylines, and quarterbacks dominate that narrative. Voters favor QBs because they touch the ball on every play and are seen as key decision-makers. The award has become more about leadership and team success than raw talent. Even exceptional non-QB seasons, like those of Cooper Kupp (2021) and Derrick Henry (2020), often get overshadowed, with quarterbacks taking home the trophy. Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill, and Micah Parsons are demanding respect as they redefine what it means to be valuable, igniting debates and prompting analysts to consider whether a non-quarterback can finally win MVP.

These game-changers have the firepower to challenge the quarterbacks for the crown. While Drake Maye, Matthew Stafford and Jonathan Taylor have dominated league MVP discussions, former Saints Super Bowl-winner and soon-to-be Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees mentioned another player who certainly deserves consideration,... "There's a lot of guys that are playing some outstanding football," Brees said during a one-on-one interview with CBS Sports. "Drake Maye, he's made huge leaps from last year. ... Stafford is playing outstanding.

"I look at what the Seattle Seahawks are doing right now. You know, if [Jaxon Smith-Njigba] isn't an MVP candidate, he's certainly Offensive Player of the Year, right? I think those are some good names." Now in his third season in Seattle, Smith-Njigba is enjoying a breakout season for the Seahawks, who are off to a surprising 7-2 start under second-year coach Mike Macdonald. Smith-Njigba is currently leading the NFL with 1,041 receiving yards and is on pace to break Calvin Johnson's single-season record of 1,964. While he is certainly deserving of consideration, Smith-Njigba doesn't have history on his side as far as winning league MVP.

No receiver in league history has won the award, including Jerry Rice, who didn't win following the strike-shortened 1987 season despite catching 22 touchdowns in just 12 games. The award instead went to then-Broncos quarterback John Elway. Time crunch?Get all your NFL news here in just 60 words This year’s MVP award is causing some mounting annoyance as the NFL regular season comes to a close. The Most Valuable Player in the NFL’s Regular Season is decided by a panel of 50 sports writers each year. This honor has traditionally gone to NFL quarterbacks.

Over the course of history, there have been exceptions. For instance, most fans will likely recall defensive tackle Alan Page winning it in and running back Adrian Peterson of the Vikings winning it in 2012. In the league’s history, he was the only defensive tackle to receive the honor. If a quarterback doesn’t take home the prize, it usually means that another player dominated that season. The 2022 season is brought up by that idea. Also Read: Chargers’ 6-Year-Streak of “No Arrests” Finally Breaks As Cornerback J.C Jackson Gets Booked Over Family Issues

The NFL MVP award has become synonymous with one position — quarterback. Over the last two decades, only three non-quarterbacks have claimed the title, and the last to do so was running back Adrian Peterson in 2012. Since then, 12 straight MVP trophies have gone to quarterbacks, reflecting the league’s transformation into a pass-heavy, offense-driven spectacle. Peterson’s MVP run remains one of the most remarkable single-season performances in modern NFL history. Coming off a torn ACL, the Minnesota Vikings running back rushed for 2,097 yards — just eight shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time record. His dominance not only carried Minnesota to the playoffs but also marked the last time a running back, or any non-quarterback, earned MVP honors.

The NFL has evolved dramatically since the early 2000s. Rule changes designed to protect quarterbacks and receivers have amplified passing attacks, while analytics have further prioritized the efficiency of throwing the football over running it. Offensive schemes now revolve around elite signal-callers who command record-breaking contracts and headline highlight reels every Sunday. Running backs, wide receivers, and defenders still produce elite seasons — but the MVP award typically rewards overall team success and positional impact. Since quarterbacks directly influence the game’s most important statistic — scoring — they have an outsized advantage. For a non-QB to break through, it would likely take a historic, record-shattering campaign similar to Peterson’s in 2012 or even more dominant.

While unlikely, the possibility isn’t zero. Players like Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill, and Micah Parsons have shown they can take over games in unique ways. However, with the continued rise of high-powered offenses and superstar quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, the MVP remains — for now — a quarterback’s award. 21 November 2022Key Monday NFL, Sports Entertainment The National Football League’s Most Valuable Player (NFL MVP award) is arguably one of the most prestigious individual honors in professional sports. Every year, players across all positions vie for this accolade, hoping to cement their legacy as the game’s top performer.

But is the NFL MVP truly a reflection of the most valuable player across all positions? Or has it morphed into something more specific — a quarterback award in disguise? Welcome to an in-depth exploration of this controversial topic, inspired by the sharp insights of VDG Sports’ Vince Douglas Gregory. As a seasoned observer of the gridiron, Vince doesn’t just call it like he sees it — he calls the NFL MVP award out for what it really is. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the domination of quarterbacks in the MVP race since the turn of the millennium, the implications of this trend on the fairness of the award, and what... Let’s start with the cold, hard facts.

Since the year 2000, the NFL MVP award has been dominated by quarterbacks almost without exception. Out of all the seasons in the past two decades, only four times has the award gone to a player who wasn’t a quarterback. That’s right — just four times in over 20 years. And who were those rare non-quarterback winners? Running backs. Specifically, running backs who were extraordinary talents, often considered generational players.

The most recent running back to claim the MVP was Adrian Peterson in 2012, nearly a decade ago. Before that, other running backs had managed to break through, but these cases have become increasingly rare. Before the season, it would have been very difficult to predict our NFL midseason award winners. Now that we're at the 2025 season's midway point, we surveyed our NFL reporters to get their picks for each of the league's major awards. The MVP race seems to be as compelling as ever without a clear favorite, while both Rookie of the Year awards are up for grabs, only adding to the intrigue. So, let's take a look at our staff's picks for each of the major NFL awards halfway through the season.

Ben Arthur: Drake Maye has been the NFL’s most consistently dominant and efficient quarterback this season. And quite frankly, it’s not even close. In Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons, the former UNC star recorded at least 200 passing yards and a 100-plus passer rating for the eighth straight game. He's just the fourth quarterback in league history to accomplish that feat in a single season, according to Next Gen Stats. It so happens that the other passers to achieve the milestone — Peyton Manning (2004), Tom Brady (2007) and Aaron Rodgers (2011,2020) — all won MVP that season.

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