NFL Awards Winners Who Didn’t Deserve Their Awards

I promise I don’t have anything against Hall of Fame-bound quarterback Peyton Manning. But I think the two-time Super Bowl champ has a few pieces of hardware that should’ve gone to other players. And he’s not alone.

Because plenty of all-time greats have received their own questionable NFL awards. Like John Elway, Joe Montana, and Brett Favre to name just a few.

So check out this list of NFL history’s most dubious awards decisions — in categories such as MVP, Super Bowl MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year — in chronological order. And decide for yourself: Are these hot takes, or just true facts?

Paul Hornung, 1961 MVP

Splitting duties all over the field, Hornung led the league in points scored thanks in part to his 15 field goals and 41 extra points, chipping in 10 touchdowns, eighth in the league, and 742 yards from scrimmage.

Quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, on the other hand, led the league in completions (235), passing yards (3,723), and passing touchdowns (32) while carrying the Eagles to a 10-4 mark. Jim Brown led the NFL in rushing yards (1,408) and yards from scrimmage (1,867), carrying Cleveland to an 8-5-1 record.

Fran Tarkenton, 1975 MVP

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Tarkenton led the league in completions and attempts in ’75, finishing second in passing yardage (2,994) behind Ken Anderson. O.J. Simpson had a monstrous season for the Bills, leading the league in rushing (1,817 yards), rushing touchdowns (16), yards from scrimmage (2,243).

Simpson also led the league with 23 rushing and receiving touchdowns, just two behind Tarkenton’s passing score total.

He posted a 25 in Pro Football Reference’s approximate value stat, the second-highest mark ever.

Mark Moseley, 1982 MVP

Moseley’s win in a bizarre, strike-shortened season was shocking even to him. “I think once I got nominated it was such an unusual thing that everybody voted for me.

When they called me to tell me I had won it, I was shocked beyond words,” he said. Moseley had some clutch kicks for an 8-1 team, but he also went 16-of-19 on extra points and didn’t handle kickoffs for the Redskins.

Dan Fouts led the league in passing yards and touchdown passes for the 6-3 Chargers, and Marcus Allen, then a rookie, led the league in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns for the 8-1 Raiders.

John Elway, 1987 MVP

Elway was solid in 1987, but not otherworldly, tossing 19 touchdowns and 12 picks, leading the Broncos to an 8-3-1 record in his starts during a strike-shortened season.

Out west, Jerry Rice set an NFL record with 22 receiving touchdowns, which would stand until 2007, when Randy Moss had four more games to get his 23. Rice amassed 1,129 yards in 12 contests and added a rushing touchdown.

But he (30 votes) and teammate Joe Montana (18 votes) split their votes to leave the door open for Elway (36).