My friend, have you ever heard of a running back being crowned the MVP of the NFL? Believe it or not, it has happened, and it is much more common than people think! Last year Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans was sensational and earned the honour of the 2019 NFL Rushing leader and MVP, becoming the first ever running back to be awarded the coveted prize.
I remember being proven wrong last year when Derrick Henry became the first ever NFL rushing leader and MVP. Before his tremendous performance, I honestly don’t think I ever knew a running back could win the MVP prize. But when I saw his stats, I quickly realized why he was crowned the MVP and it wasn’t just because of his leadership abilities, he smashed the competition with the most rushing yards of any NFL player that season paved with 23 Wesley scored in a single season, an incredible feat.
I had almost forgotten the history of running backs winning NFL MVP awards. It all goes back to the early 2000s when LaDainian Tomlinson shattered the Madden video game with 28 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards inSan Diego Chargers single season record. His magnificent performance earned him the MVP award on the Chargers and put him up there with the greatest running backs of all time.
On top of that, Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks also deservedly won the MVP award in in 2005, becoming the first running back in a long time to win the award. His 27 touchdowns and 1,880 yards that season were the fourth-highest total of any running back in the NFL.
Of course, the greatest individual running back performance in NFL history was put up by Adrian Peterson, who won the MVP award in 2012. His 2,097 yards from scrimmage that season set an NFL record for a single season, and his MVP award was well-deserved recognition for that masterpiece of a season.
But whether it was Derrick Henry last season, LaDainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander, or Adrian Peterson in 2012, the truth is that a running back has in fact won the NFL MVP award and only time will tell if other running backs can continue to climb the ladder of greatness and earn this special honour.