The NFL Most Valuable Player award is typically awarded to a quarterback, but why shouldn’t skill positions be in the conversation? Adrian Peterson was the last non-QB to win MVP back in 2012 after fellow running backs Shaun Alexander and LaDainian Tomlinson won it in 2006 and 2007.
While a wide receiver has never won MVP, Miami wideout Tyreek Hill deserves to be in the conversation. He’s on pace to break the NFL’s receiving yards record and is a force in every single Dolphins game.
NFL analyst Mark Schlereth explained why Hill should be in the conversation for NFL MVP on his Audacy original podcast “Stinkin Truth” this week.
“You know my hatred of all things quarterback in general. They’re not really football players. They should have their own little quarterbacking award; they probably do,” Schlereth said (16:50 in player above). “What about Tyreek Hill?”
“He’s on pace to go over 2,000 yards. I know (Calvin Johnson) missed out at (1,964) but he did that in 16 games. This is a 17-game schedule. Tyreek Hill has a legitimate opportunity to go over 2,000 yards.”
Hill has 1,481 yards through 12 games this season – an average of 123.4 yards per game. He’s on pace for 1,974 yards in 16 games and 2,098 yards in this 17-game season.
“Every time you play the Miami Dolphins your number one objective is to take No. 10 out of the ballgame,” Schlereth continued. “You know what nobody has been able to do? Take No. 10 out of the ballgame.”
Hill has gone over 100 yards in eight of 12 games this season, including five games over 150 yards. He’s putting up numbers that are otherwise unheard of in the NFL.
“I’m all for putting real football players in the MVP discussion as opposed to quarterbacks. I think real football players should get to be in that discussion,” Schlereth said. “So let me just say that I am putting Tyreek Hill in that discussion.”
Hill may need to do a lot more than just reach 2,000 yards to pass the six quarterbacks in front of him in the MVP odds, but stranger things have happened, right? At the very least, Hill is currently the favorite for Offensive Player of the Year ahead of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.