MVP Profile: Don Hutson, 1942

End/Defensive Back, Green Bay Packers

Age:  29

8^th season in pro football & with Packers

College: Alabama

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 185

Prelude:

Coming out of college, where he had been an All-American at Alabama, there were questions as to whether Hutson was suited to the pro game. He quickly allayed such concerns as a rookie in 1935, catching 18 passes for 420 yards (23.3 avg.) and 6 TDs (he led the league with a total of 7). The numbers improved dramatically as he became the top receiver in the NFL, leading the league in receptions (34), yards (536), and TDs (8) in 1936 and receptions (41) and TDs (7) in ’37. Fast and innovative in the maneuvers he utilized and routes he ran, Hutson became the first deep threat and caused defenses to utilize new strategies, such as double- and triple-teaming, to contain him. He led the NFL in receiving yards (548) as well as TDs (9) in 1938 and in receptions (34), yards (849), and yards per catch (24.9) in ’39. While he didn’t lead the league in receptions in 1940, he still had a then-career high with 45, and in 1941 he was first awarded the Joe F. Carr trophy as league MVP after tying the NFL record for catches (58) and also leading in yards (738), scoring (95 points), and touchdowns (12, tied with George McAfee of the Bears).

1942 Season Summary

Appeared in all 11 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 74 [1] 

Most receptions, game – 14 (for 134 yds.) at NY Giants 11/22

Yards – 1211 [1]

Most yards, game - 209 (on 13 catches) vs. Cleveland 10/18

Average gain – 16.4 [9]

TDs – 17 [1]

200-yard receiving games – 2

100-yard receiving games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 3

Yards – 4

Average gain – 1.3

TDs – 0

Kicking

Field goals – 1 [9, tied with five others]

Field goal attempts – 4 [10, tied with Augie Lio]

Percentage – .250

PATs – 33 [1]

PAT attempts – 34 [1]

Longest field goal – 20 yards vs. Pittsburgh 12/6

Interceptions

Interceptions – 7 [2]

Return yards – 71 [8]

TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1286 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 17 [1]

FG – 1

PATs – 33

Points – 138 [1]

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: Joe F. Carr Trophy

1^st team All-NFL: League, AP, INS, NY Daily News

NFL All-Star Game

Packers went 8-2-1 to finish second in the NFL Western Division while leading the league in passing yards (2407) on offense and interceptions (33, tied with the Bears) on defense.

Aftermath:

Taking advantage of diluted competition during World War II, he continued to be the NFL’s dominant pass receiver. He retired following the 1945 season as the career leader in receptions (488), receiving yards (7991), TD receptions (99), and overall TDs (105). Many of those records lasted for decades – the one for TD receptions lasted until 1989. Used as a defensive back (rather than end) on defense, he intercepted 30 passes in his last six seasons (individual interceptions were first compiled in 1940). As a placekicker, he compiled 7 field goals and 172 extra points and his overall point total was 823, which also was the NFL career record at the time. Hutson was a consensus first-team All-Pro on eight occasions. The Packers retired his #14 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Charter Member in 1963.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

Rookie of the Year: Curt Warner, 1983

Running Back, Seattle Seahawks

Age: 22

College: Penn State

Height: 5’11” Weight: 205

Prelude:

Warner broke 42 school rushing records and was a key player on the 1982 national championship squad as he rushed for 3398 yards at Penn State. The Seahawks took him in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft (third overall) with the expectation that he would add speed and pass receiving ability to the backfield.

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 335 [3]

Most attempts, game - 32 (for 207 yds.) vs. Kansas City 11/27

Yards – 1449 [3, 1st in AFC]

Most yards, game – 207 yards (on 32 carries) vs. Kansas City 11/27

Average gain – 4.3 [19, tied with Ottis Anderson & Joe Cribbs]

TDs – 13 [4]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 6

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 42      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 72 yds.) at Kansas City 9/4, (for 49 yds.) at San Diego 10/9, (for 29 yds.) at NY Giants 12/11

Yards – 325

Most yards, game - 72 (on 6 catches) at Kansas City 9/4

Average gain – 7.7

TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 14 [3, tied with Roy Green & Pete Johnson, 1st in AFC]

Points – 84

Postseason: 3 G

Rushing attempts – 63

Most rushing attempts, game - 29 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 238

Most rushing yards, game - 113 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 3.8

Rushing TDs – 2

Pass receptions – 10

Most pass receptions, game - 5 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff

Pass receiving yards - 70

Most pass receiving yards, game - 38 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff

Average yards per reception – 7.0

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

1^st team All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Seahawks went 9-7 to finish second in the AFC West and qualify for a Wild Card playoff spot. Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Denver Broncos (31-7) and Divisional playoff over Miami Dolphins (27-20). Lost AFC Championship to Los Angeles Raiders (30-14).

Aftermath:

Warner suffered a knee injury in the opening game of the 1984 season that cost him the remainder of the year, and while he came back in ’85 to rush for 1094 yards and catch 47 passes, he wore down noticeably in the second half of the season. In 1986 he regained form as he led the AFC in rushing with 1481 yards and followed up with 985 in the strike-interrupted ’87 season. Warner was selected to the Pro Bowl following both of those seasons. However, he suffered an ankle injury in the 1987 season finale that required surgery and, while he ran for 1025 yards in ’88, was no longer as consistent as in his peak years. Following a 631-yard season in 1989, Warner joined the Rams as a free agent but ran the ball just 49 times for 139 yards in his last year. Overall, he rushed for 6844 yards (6705 with the Seahawks, which made him the franchise career rushing leader at the time) and caught 193 passes for 1467 more yards, scoring a total of 63 touchdowns. Warner was selected to the Pro Bowl on three occasions.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 11/29/14]

1984: Wranglers Score 2 TDs in 4th Quarter to Edge Gamblers

The United States Football League First Round playoff game at the Houston Astrodome on July 1, 1984 featured the high-powered Houston Gamblers against the defense-rich Arizona Wranglers.

Under Head Coach Jack Pardee and offensive coordinator Darrel “Mouse” Davis, the first-year Gamblers operated with a high-scoring run-and-shoot offense that generated the most touchdowns (79) and points (618) of any USFL club. Rookie QB Jim Kelly had phenomenal success, most notably passing for 5219 yards and 44 touchdowns while garnering MVP honors from the league. Wide receivers Richard Johnson and Ricky Sanders ranked first and second among the league’s receivers, with 115 and 101 catches, respectively. Houston could move the ball on the ground, too, as RB Todd Fowler gained 1003 yards with a hefty 5.9-yards per carry average and RB Sam Harrell added another 697 yards. If there was a chink in the attack, it was the 82 sacks the Gamblers gave up. The defense was not nearly as glamorous, but was tough against the run. Overall, Houston had been the most successful of the USFL’s six new teams for 1984, finishing atop the Central Division with a 13-5 record.

The Wranglers were a veteran-filled club coached by 66-year-old George Allen. Allen’s teams, most notably the Rams and Redskins in the NFL, were characterized by strong defense and ball-control offense, and Arizona was no different. QB Greg Landry was in his 16^th pro season at age 37 and still an effective field general who completed 63 percent of his passes for 3534 yards and 26 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. The tandem of RB Tim Spencer (1212 yards) and FB Kevin Long (1010 yards) was a productive one and WR Trumaine Johnson led the receivers with 90 catches for 1268 yards and 13 TDs. The defense was the best at giving up the fewest yards (250.9) and points (11.3) per game while generating the most sacks (73). DE John Lee was the individual leader in sacks (20).

There was a crowd of 32,713 on hand at the Astrodome. They saw the Gamblers put together a scoring drive of 74 yards in the first quarter. Jim Kelly completed four of his five passes for 44 yards and ran the ball three times for another 29 yards that included a 14-yard touchdown.

The Arizona defense began to assert itself in the second quarter, however, as two key sacks by the Wranglers forced the Gamblers to settle for field goal attempts, one of which was successful by Toni Fritsch from 38 yards and the other a miss from 46 yards following back-to-back sacks by John Lee and DE Karl Lorch. Just before the half, Frank Corral booted a 32-yard field goal for the Wranglers and the score was 10-3 at the intermission.

For all of Houston’s ability to move the ball, the home team had difficulty getting into the end zone. Still, Arizona wasn’t scoring either and, after Fritsch kicked a 22-yard field goal midway through the third quarter and then added another three points from 25 yards out early in the final period, the Gamblers held a 16-3 lead with fewer than 14 minutes to play.

Two squibbed punts helped Arizona to come back. First, a 15-yard kick by Dale Walters gave the Wranglers good field position. They made the most of it as Greg Landry completed a pass to TE Paul Ricker for 28 yards and then Tim Spencer ran 20 yards for a touchdown that, with the successful extra point, put them six points behind with 6:11 still to play.

Once again Houston was forced to punt, and this time Walters booted the ball only 13 yards. Landry completed passes to RB Doug Dennison that gained 22 yards and WR Lenny Willis for another 13 before tossing to Dennison again for an 11-yard touchdown. Corral added the critical extra point to provide Arizona with a one-point margin with 1:49 left on the clock. The defense made it stand up and the Wranglers came away with a 17-16 win to advance to the next round.

Houston significantly outgained the Wranglers (415 yards to 196), had more first downs (23 to 13), and dominated time of possession (37:15 to 22:45). However, Arizona’s defense held when necessary and sacked Jim Kelly six times while intercepting two of his passes – plus, the two shanked punts in the fourth quarter were disastrous for the Gamblers.

Greg Landry completed 11 of 22 passes for 130 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Doug Dennison caught three passes for 27 yards and the game-winning TD while RB Allan Clark topped the club with 43 yards on his two receptions. Tim Spencer rushed for 39 yards on 10 carries that included a TD and Kevin Long was held to 19 yards on 6 attempts.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly was successful on 23 of 34 throws for 301 yards with no TDs and the two interceptions – he was held without a touchdown pass for the first time all season. WR Scott McGhee pulled in 7 passes for 112 yards and Todd Fowler carried the ball 19 times for 84 yards. Kelly added another 59 yards and a TD on 8 rushes.

“The key to winning the game was poise and playing together,” said George Allen, who broke a personal four-game postseason losing streak as a pro head coach with Arizona’s win. “Don’t take chances. Every play could be the game in the last six minutes.” 

The Wranglers went on to mount another fourth quarter comeback and defeat the Los Angeles Express the next week to win the Western Conference Championship. Advancing to the USFL title game, they lost to the Philadelphia Stars, which marked the end of Allen’s pro coaching career. The team was merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws to become the Arizona Outlaws in 1985 and finished at 8-10 in the USFL’s final year. Houston reached the postseason at 10-8 but again fell in the first round.

MVP Profile: Keith Millard, 1989

Defensive Tackle, Minnesota Vikings

Age:  27

6th season in pro football, 5^th in NFL & with Vikings

College: Washington State

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 262

Prelude:

Millard was the first draft choice of the Vikings in 1984 but spent his rookie season with the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL. He joined Minnesota in 1985 and recorded 11 sacks that year and had another 10.5 in ’86. He became the key figure in the middle of Minnesota’s talented defensive line and was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection in 1988.

1989 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

(Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20)

Sacks – 18 [3]

Most sacks, game – 4 vs. Green Bay 10/15

Multi-sack games (2 or more) – 5

Interceptions – 1

Int. yards – 48

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Fumble rec. TD – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Divisional playoff at San Francisco)

Sacks – 0

Interceptions – 0

TD – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC Central while allowing the fewest yards in the NFL on defense overall (4184) and in passing defense (2501 yards) as well as leading the league in sacks (71). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to San Francisco 49ers (41-13).

Aftermath:

Millard’s 1990 season ended when he suffered a significant knee injury in the fourth game and the resulting two surgeries cost him all of ’91 as well. The Vikings dealt him to Seattle for 1992, but he played in just two games and moved on to the Packers. Millard finished up with the Eagles in 1993. Playing in eight seasons in the NFL, he accumulated 58 sacks (53 of them with the Vikings). At his best, he was an explosive pass rusher from the middle of the defensive line, but his promising career was cut short by injury.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

Rookie of the Year: Anthony Thomas, 2001

Running Back, Chicago Bears

Age: 24 (Nov. 7)

College: Michigan

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 226

Prelude:

A workhorse running back in his last two college seasons, Thomas was taken by the Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was projected to be an immediate contributor, valued for his blocking as well as reliability, and while he missed time in the preseason and didn’t immediately move into the lineup, he replaced James Allen as the primary runner.

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in 14 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 278 [12]

Most attempts, game - 33 (for 160 yds.) vs. Jacksonville 1/6

Yards – 1183 [11]

Most yards, game – 188 yards (on 22 carries) at Cincinnati 10/21

Average gain – 4.3

TDs – 7 [12, tied with Ron Dayne & Tony Richardson]

100-yard rushing games – 4

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 22      

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 71 yds.) vs. Cleveland 11/4

Yards – 178

Most yards, game - 71 (on 6 catches) vs. Cleveland 11/4

Average gain – 8.1

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 7

2-point PAT – 1

Points – 44

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Divisional playoff vs. Philadelphia)

Rushing attempts – 15

Rushing yards – 36

Average gain rushing – 2.4

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 1

Pass receiving yards - 11

Average yards per reception – 11.0

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA

Bears went 13-3 to finish first in the NFC Central. Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Philadelphia Eagles (33-19).

Aftermath:

“The A-Train” slumped in 2002, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry before a broken finger sidelined him for the last four games. He recovered somewhat to rush for 1024 yards in ‘03, but was still bothered by nagging injuries and lost his starting job to Thomas Jones in 2004. After running for 3332 yards in four years in Chicago, Thomas moved on to the Dallas Cowboys in 2005, saw little action and was released - he finished up the season in New Orleans when RB Deuce McAllister was lost with an injury. He spent 2006 and ’07, his final two seasons, with Buffalo. Overall, he rushed for 3891 yards on 1044 carries (3.7 avg.) with 23 touchdowns and caught 113 passes for 756 yards and a TD. At his best, Thomas was effective as a runner between the tackles, but injuries and inconsistent play ultimately limited his career.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1983: Invaders Edge Breakers to Win Pacific Division Title

The Oakland Invaders had a mediocre 8-8 record with two contests to go in the inaugural United States Football League season, but that was enough to put them in control of their own destiny in the weak Pacific Division. On June 25, 1983 they hosted the Boston Breakers, who were 10-6 and trying to secure the lone Wild Card playoff spot.

The Invaders, coached by John Ralston, had uncovered a hidden talent in 29-year-old QB Fred Besana, a former semi-pro player who was proving to be one of the USFL’s most productive passers. Two former members of the NFL Raiders, TE Raymond Chester and RB Arthur Whittington, were better known to Bay Area football fans and key players on the offense, although Whittington was out with an injury for the Breakers game. The inconsistent defense had a good group of linebackers, most notably Frank Manumaleuga and Gary Plummer on the inside as they utilized a 3-4 alignment.

Head Coach Dick Coury’s Breakers boasted a well-balanced offense directed by QB John Walton, a veteran of the Continental and World Football Leagues as well as the NFL who had come out of retirement to play in the USFL. With a fine group of receivers plus ex-Canadian Football League RB Richard Crump, Boston could typically move the ball. Like the Invaders, the best part of the defense was the linebacking corps that was led by rookie Marcus Marek, but stopping the pass was a chronic problem.

There was a crowd of 30,396 on hand at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for the Saturday contest. They saw the home team take the early lead when Besana, rolling to his right, just got off a pass before going out of bounds that was caught in the end zone by HB Louis Jackson for a touchdown. Kevin Shea’s successful extra point made it 7-0, and that was the score after a period of play.

Boston got on the board in the second quarter thanks to a 35-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal. Oakland again moved into scoring position but a field goal attempt was blocked and returned 75 yards for a touchdown by LB Ben Needham. Instead of extending their lead, the Invaders were behind by 10-7. Before the half was over, Shea got another shot at a field goal and was successful from 22 yards out to tie the game at 10-10 at the half.

Mistakes by the Breakers in the third quarter put Oakland back in front. A fumble was recovered at the Oakland 48 and, with the help of three penalties, the Invaders moved to the Boston three. On the first play of the fourth quarter, FB Ted Torosian powered into the end zone for a touchdown and, with the successful extra point, Oakland took a 17-13 lead.

The Breakers again hurt themselves when an apparent touchdown was called back due to a penalty. Mazzetti was able to add a 24-yard field goal but the Oakland defense held the rest of the way and the Invaders won the game, and the division title, by the slender margin of 17-16.

Oakland outgained the Breakers (322 yards to 282), had more first downs (18 to 9), and significantly dominated time of possession (39:21 to 20:39). The Invaders also recorded five sacks, for a total loss of 31 yards, while Boston got to Besana twice. The Breakers turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Oakland, and while the Invaders were penalized 11 times, Boston was flagged on 12 occasions, often in key situations, at a total cost of 115 yards.

Fred Besana had a solid, if unspectacular, performance as he completed 25 of 36 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. In place of Arthur Whittington, Louis Jackson rushed for 90 yards on 23 carries and caught 8 passes for 110 yards and a TD. Ted Torosian pulled in 10 receptions for 63 yards in addition to his 8 rushes for 16 yards and a score as most of Besana’s completions went to backs. Raymond Chester added 4 catches for 45 yards and only two completions were made to a wide receiver.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on only 7 of 20 throws for 109 yards with no TDs and one picked off while Doug Woodward went two-for-six and 28 yards with another interception. Richard Crump gained 122 yards on just 13 rushing attempts. WR Nolan Franz caught three passes for 36 yards while WR Charlie Smith gained 55 yards on his two receptions.

The Invaders lost their season finale and ended up at 9-9. They were defeated decisively by the Michigan Panthers in the Semifinal playoff game. Boston finished second in the Atlantic Division at 11-7 and out of the postseason. 

Fred Besana led the USFL in passing yards (3980) and completion percentage (62.7) while ranking second in passing overall. He tossed 21 TD passes as opposed to 16 interceptions.  In a backup role, Louis Jackson rushed for 273 yards on 82 carries (3.3 avg.) and caught 29 passes for 294 yards – his touchdown against Boston was his only one of the year.

MVP Profile: Joe Namath, 1969

Quarterback, New York Jets

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football & with Jets

College: Alabama

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

Chosen by both the NFL Cardinals and AFL Jets in the first round of the respective 1965 drafts, Namath signed a then-huge $427,000 contract with New York. A college star under Head Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama, he had torn ligaments in his right knee during his senior year that required surgery. Knee and mobility issues would thus be significant throughout Namath’s career, but he took over as the starting quarterback for the Jets early in his rookie season and didn’t miss a game to injury (he wouldn’t in his first five seasons) while gaining selection to the AFL All-Star game. Charismatic (he quickly became a celebrity off the field) and a good leader, he also had a quick release and strong arm. Namath led the league in pass attempts and completions, yards, and TD passes in 1966 and ’67 – in the latter season, he became the first 4000-yard passer in NFL/AFL history (4007). Prone to trying to force passes into coverage, however, he also led the AFL in passes intercepted in both years. In 1968, the Jets won the AFL Championship and an upset win in the Super Bowl – Namath was AFL Player of the Year for his season performance and MVP of the Super Bowl.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 361 [3]

Most attempts, game – 51 at San Diego 9/28

Completions – 185 [2]

Most completions, game – 29 at San Diego 9/28

Yards – 2734 [2]

Most yards, game – 344 at San Diego 9/28

Completion percentage – 51.2 [3]

Yards per attempt – 7.6 [3]

TD passes – 19 [2, tied with Mike Taliaferro]

Most TD passes, game – 3 vs. Miami 11/2

Interceptions – 17 [5]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Buffalo 9/14, vs. Houston 10/20, vs. Kansas City 11/16

Passer rating – 74.3 [3]

300-yard passing games – 3

200-yard passing games – 5

Rushing

Attempts – 11

Most attempts, game – 2 (for 8 yds.) at Buffalo 9/14, (for 3 yds.) vs. Houston 10/20, (for 0 yds.) vs. Miami 11/2

Yards – 33

Most yards, game – 16 yards (on 1 carry) vs. Boston 10/26

Yards per attempt – 3.0

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points - 12

Postseason: 1 G (AFL Divisional playoff vs. Kansas City)

Pass attempts – 40

Pass completions – 14

Passing yardage – 164

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 3

Rushing attempts – 1

Rushing yards – 1

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

AFL Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-AFL: NEA, NY Daily News

2^nd team All-AFL: AP, UPI, Sporting News

AFL All-Star Game

Jets went 10-4 to win AFL Eastern Division. Lost AFL Divisional playoff to Kansas City Chiefs (13-6).

Aftermath:

A broken wrist sidelined Namath five games into the ’70 season, the first of a series of injuries that dogged the remainder of his career. After appearing in just nine games in 1970 and ’71, he came back in 1972 to lead the NFL in passing yards (2816), TD passes (19), and yards per attempt (8.7) and was named to the Pro Bowl. However, a separated shoulder limited him to six games in 1973 and, with the team deteriorating around him, he had only sporadic success while leading the league in interceptions in 1974 and ’75. Namath finished his career with the Rams in 1977 and ended up throwing for 27,663 yards with 173 TDs and 220 interceptions. His #12 was retired by the Jets and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, class of 1985.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).