The NFL MVP is one of the greatest individual honors a player can receive. In doing a little research though, only a certain category of great players earn the award. And I'm not talking about the best-of-the-best, or some vague description like that: the award usually goes to either a quarterback or a running back. And by usually, I mean nearly 95% of the time.
The NFL MVP award had been handed out by the Associated Press since 1957, and all but three of the 58 awards have gone to a quarterback or a running back. If you're interested, the three who don't fit that description are Alan Page in 1971, Mark Moseley in 1982, and Lawrence Taylor in 1986. It should also be noted that AP Offensive Player of the Year, which has been awarded since 1972, has also been named NFL MVP 58.5% of the time (24 of 41).
Obviously, that's kind of weird. The Offensive Player of the Year has been a quarterback or a running back all but twice in the 41 times its been awarded, and the two wide receivers that have won it were both Jerry Rice (in 1987 and 1993). My point is that both the MVP and OPY are so skewed towards two positions on offense. Offensive linemen, unsurprisingly, are completely left out, and aside from one player, wide receiver has been utterly ignored as well. But how can that be solved? Honestly, if I had it my way, I'd get rid of the MVP award entirely and greatly tweak the OPY criteria.
Now here me out: football is the one sport where determining ONE player whom is the most valuable to his team is almost impossible. Baseball, basketball and hockey are another story, what with every player contributing on offense and defense and with fewer players on a team. In football, there are 22 players between offense and defense, and that doesn't even count special teams. How can you determine who among a 53 man roster in a 32 team league is more valuable to his team than anyone else?
Meanwhile, I'd keep the OPY but I'd create individual awards to each position group; one for best quarterback, best running back, best offensive lineman and best receiver and tight end. To keep it fair, I'd do the same to the Defensive Player of the Year award: keep giving out the award, while giving additional awards to the best defensive lineman, best linebacker and best defensive back (although, the DPY overall has been considerably better at handing out the award across the entire defensive side of the ball).
It's not like this is an unprecedented suggestion: college football has been doing that for years. There are awards of the best offensive and defensive players, but also awards for specific positions. Now you could argue that's to distinguish the best among thousands of collegiate players, but I still say that there are enough great players in the NFL that more awards aren't derivative.
Try these on for size:
Sammy Baugh Award- Best Quarterback
Jim Brown Award- Best Running Back
Jerry Rice Award- Best Wide Receiver
Mike Ditka Award- Best Tight End
Anthony Munoz Award- Best O-Lineman
Reggie White Award- Best D-Lineman
Jack Lambert Award- Best Linebacker
Night Train Lane Award- Best Defensive Back
Morten Andersen Award- Best Kicker or Punter
Rick Upchurch Award- Best Return Man
See? It's not a huge deal. It would still lead to a debate on what people consider to be more important to a single position, but it would still recognize players that wouldn't normally get recognition. You can even give awards to notable individual accomplishments. Hell, starting this year the league leader in sacks will be awarded the Deacon Jones Award. So do that too, like the Dan Marino Award for league leader in passing yards, the Ed Reed Award for league leader in interceptions, and so on.
It wouldn't be perfect, but in my little world, this is better than what's currently going on.
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