Has a Rookie Ever Won the MVP in the NFL?
Has a Rookie Ever Won the MVP in the NFL?
By Oliver Wiener August 21, 2024 06:37
One of the highest honors a player can receive in professional football is the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, presented annually to an extraordinary individual on his team during regular season play sequences who exhibit extraordinary performance and exceptional talent. The MVP award, first handed out in 1957, has typically been an honor reserved for a veteran as only very few rookies have ever had the privilege to become this accolade. In this article, we will dig deep into the history of the MVP award and find out if a rookie has ever won it, plus what factors add to a player's chance for an MVP campaign.
History of the NFL MVP Award
The Associated Press first awarded the NFL MVP award in 1957, and it has been one of the most prestigious titles given to an individual during their career. The award originated as the AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1961 before being given its current name. Over the years, the MVP award has been awarded to quarterbacks, running backs, and defensive players, illustrating how football is a game that features so many different parts.
Notable MVP Winners
A list of some prestigious MVP winners, among others, include:
- Jim Brown (Cleveland Browns) — 1957, 1958, 1965
- Joe Montana – San Francisco 49ers (1989 &1990)
- Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) — 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009,…
- Tom Brady, New England Patriots — 2007-2011, 2016, 2020.
They've raised the bar for what it means to be an elite player, regularly guiding their franchises on deep playoff runs and offering breathtaking personal highlights.
Rookie MVP Winners
The importance of this is not just making it to the top 100 but becoming the first rookie in recent memory, misting a sea full of veterans all playing at career pinnacles. You could argue that maybe a few rookies have had excellent seasons, but none of them will be MVP.
Close Contenders
In their rookie year, numerous have been underside mere strokes of securing the MVP title due to the vigor and edge they exhibited. Notable examples include:
Jim Brown (1957, Cleveland Browns): The rookie rushed for 942 yards with a league-best nine TDs. He came in second on the MVP ballot to Johnny Unitas, which is crazy.
Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys, 2016): It was a debut for the history books from a rookie quarterback who passed for just shy of 3,700 yards with only four interceptions in his first NFL season. He guided the Cowboys to a 13-3 mark and was selected the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He ended up coming in second for MVP behind Matt Ryan.
C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans, 2023): He had an all-time great rookie season. He completed his passes at a rate of 63.9 percent and threw for over four thousand yards, securing twenty-three touchdowns with just five interceptions on the year. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award yet lost out on MVP to Lamar Jackson.
These instances demonstrate that while rookies can have amazing seasons, the MVP award tends to be a dogfight and is usually claimed by players with some experience or other well-established performers.
Factors That Help a Rookie's MVP Case
Exceptional Performance
That's a far cry from what it will take for them to win the award because you need, as a rookie, one of the most ridiculous on-field performances in league history. That is, obviously, in terms of raw statistics or simply having the ability to affect a game for the better. For example, a quarterback has to mention accuracy, field vision, and ability to lead the team, whereas a running back has to talk about speed, skill & break tackle.
Team Success
Winning is also major for the MVP. You know that a rookie on a winning team is far more likely to get MVP love than one playing for a losing. The MVPs are typically on playoff teams or otherwise led by a big-time record. An important factor is a player's effect on their team.
Position and Role
The position a rookie plays may also affect their MVP candidacy. The QB is usually the glamor position and one that touches the action more than any other on that side of the ball. Thus, rookie quarterbacks get a lot of MVP buzz, and running backs and defensive players have to work harder for respect.
Historical Context
The narrative of an individual's rookie season and all-defensive team comparison to previous MVP winners can be a major factor in determining how people perceive certain skills, directly reflecting voting outcomes.
Opposing and Converse Perspectives
Now, the fact that no rookie has been named MVP in some time would imply it's just too hard for him to fight through all of this. Many will tell you, though, that the NFL is a constantly changing league, and something could happen or not go right that may create opportunities down the road for an incoming fresh-face winner in this sport. With a continuing perception that QBs will come in as franchise savers and the continued scoring increase, we may soon see our first-ever rookie quarterback MVP winner.
Moreover, the emergence of advanced football analytics has placed a larger emphasis on individual performance statistics, enabling rookies to stand out for their team-related contributions. And with this game growing, maybe we will see an MVP-winning rookie someday.
Further, no rookie has ever been named the NFL MVP since its inception in 1957, for as successful as many rookies have been in their initial seasons, playing well for a winning team, and the old records books can create quite high hurdles to clear. The NFL is ever-evolving, and perhaps there will be a chance for future rookies to buck this trend, but surely the next young quarterback MVP isn't going part of the 2021 draft class. And the continued debate of would-be rookie MVPs speaks to how good football can use new talent to fill up its existing slots and just keep trucking along.
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