MVP Profile: Randy Gradishar, 1978

Linebacker, Denver Broncos

Age:  26

5^th season in pro football & with Broncos

College: Ohio State

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 233

Prelude:

An All-American selection in both 1972 and ’73, Gradishar was chosen by the Broncos in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft (14^th overall). Moving into the starting lineup at middle linebacker, he was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 1975. A smart and overachieving player who was especially effective against the run, Gradishar was a 2^nd-team All-AFC selection in ’76 and moved to inside linebacker in 1977 as the Broncos switched to a 3-4 defense. Fueled by the “Orange Crush” defense, Denver won the AFC title and Gradishar was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection.

1978 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 4

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Seattle 10/29

Int. yards – 19

Most int. return yards, game – 8 (on 1 int.) vs. Seattle 10/1

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 2

Fumble recovery TDs – 1 [2, tied with 13 others]

Scoring

TD – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Divisional playoff at Pittsburgh)

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 0

Int. return yards – 0

TD – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

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

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

Pro Bowl

Broncos went 10-6 to finish first in the AFC West while allowing the fewest passing TDs (9) in the NFL and finishing a close second in fewest points allowed (198). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to Pittsburgh Steelers (33-10).

Aftermath:

Gradishar received first- and second-team All-NFL honors and was again chosen to the Pro Bowl in 1979. He failed to make the Pro Bowl in ’80, a season in which he was credited with 230 tackles, but was selected in each of the next three years. Gradishar played a total of ten seasons, through 1983, and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and received at least some All-NFL or AFC honors on eight occasions. He was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1989.

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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.

1975: Southmen Rally in Second Half to Defeat Hornets

In Week 2 of the World Football League’s second season, the Charlotte Hornets took on the Memphis Southmen on August 9, 1975 at the Liberty Bowl. There were 19,729 fans in attendance for the Saturday night matchup, including singer Elvis Presley.

The Southmen, popularly referred to as the “Grizzlies” by their fans, had put together the league’s best record in 1974 under Head Coach John McVay, although they had come up short in the postseason. They looked to be an even stronger club with the addition of the celebrated trio of FB Larry Csonka, HB Jim Kiick, and WR Paul Warfield, who were signed away from the NFL’s Miami Dolphins amid great fanfare (pictured above are Csonka, at left, and Kiick). However, the Southmen had barely edged Jacksonville to win their first game.

For Charlotte Head Coach Bob Gibson, who had been offensive backfield coach with the Southmen in ’74, the game in Memphis was something of a homecoming. The team he was now coaching started out as the New York Stars before moving to Charlotte midway through the previous season. While they still had Tom Sherman, along with ex-Yale star Brian Dowling, available at quarterback the Hornets had lost many of the veterans, mostly from the NFL Jets, who had been on the roster the previous year. They were 0-1 after having lost their season-opening game to the San Antonio Wings.

In the first half, Charlotte was dominant on defense but didn’t score until getting a 25-yard field goal by Pete Rajecki late in the second quarter. However, the Hornets got the ball back quickly when CB David Thomas fumbled after returning the ensuing kickoff 22 yards and was hit by G John Culpepper. LB Tom Embrey grabbed the ball in the air and ran it back 22 yards. Three plays later, Brian Dowling tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Kreg Kapitan. Dowling followed up with another throw to Kapitan to add the action point (in the WFL, touchdowns counted for seven points and were followed by an action point that could not be kicked) and the visitors were up at halftime by a score of 11-0.

In the third quarter, things began to turn around. Csonka scored the first touchdown for the Southmen on a pass from QB John Huarte that covered 10 yards. In the meantime, the Memphis defense also took charge, putting pressure on Dowling and stifling the Charlotte offense.

Once again in scoring territory, and with the home crowd having come alive, Huarte threw another 10-yard scoring pass, this time to Warfield, who was wide open in the end zone. The action point attempt failed but Memphis had the lead at 15-11.

In the fourth quarter, an eight-play drive by the Southmen that covered 51 yards ended with Kiick scoring a touchdown from two yards out. The 29-year-old halfback was the key player on the series, running the ball four times for 26 yards. The action point was successfully tacked on and that was it - the final score was 23-11 in favor of Memphis.

The Southmen outgained Charlotte (313 yards to 232), with 199 yards of that total coming on the ground, and also had the edge in first downs (21 to 13). Both teams turned the ball over twice and there were many penalties, with Memphis committing 10 at a cost of 90 yards while the Hornets were flagged 7 times for 44 yards.

Larry Csonka rushed for 112 yards on 24 carries and added another 23 yards on three pass receptions that included a touchdown. Jim Kiick ran the ball 12 times for 66 yards and a TD. He was also the team’s most productive receiver with 38 yards on his three catches. Paul Warfield’s 10-yard scoring catch was his only one of the game. John Huarte completed 8 of 18 passes for 101 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted.

For the Hornets, Brian Dowling was successful on 9 of 15 throws for 91 yards with a TD and an interception. Tom Sherman also saw action and added 4 completions out of 9 passes for 48 yards with one intercepted. HB Don Highsmith rushed for 63 yards on 23 carries and caught 6 passes for 64 more yards.

The Southmen went on to post a 7-4 that placed them second in the Eastern Division at the point that the WFL folded in October. Charlotte was 6-5 and tied for third in the division with Jacksonville.

Of the celebrated trio of ex-Dolphins, Jim Kiick rushed for 462 yards and 9 touchdowns on 121 carries (3.8 avg.) and caught 25 passes for 259 yards and another TD. Larry Csonka, who was slowed by injuries, gained 421 yards on 99 attempts (4.3 avg.). Paul Warfield had 25 pass receptions for 422 yards (16.9 avg.) and three TDs. All three returned to the NFL after the demise of the WFL. 

Rookie of the Year: J.C. Caroline, 1956

Defensive Halfback, Chicago Bears

Age: 23

College: Illinois

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

Caroline led the nation in rushing with 1256 yards as a sophomore at Illinois, but was declared academically ineligible the next year. He spent 1955 playing for Toronto and Montreal in Canada, where he rushed for 575 yards in 10 games. Eligible for the NFL draft in 1956, he was taken by the Bears in the 7th round and was used on defense until injuries depleted the backfield later in his rookie season.

1956 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 6 [9, tied with Jack Butler, Dicky Moegle & Emlen Tunnell]

Int. return yards – 182 [4, tied with Yale Lary]

Int. TDs – 2 [1]

Fumble recoveries – 1

Rushing

Attempts – 34

Yards – 141

Average gain – 4.1

TDs – 2

Punt Returns

Returns – 2

Yards – 29

Average per return – 14.5

TDs – 0

Longest return – 16 yards

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 2

Yards – 32

Average per return – 16.0

TDs – 0

Longest return – 18 yards

Scoring

TDs – 4

Points – 24

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at New York Giants)

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Kickoff returns – 1

Kickoff ret. yds. – 14

Kickoff ret. TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: NY Daily News

Pro Bowl

Bears went 9-2-1 to finish first in the Western Conference. Lost NFL Championship to New York Giants (47-7).

Aftermath:

Caroline continued to be a versatile performer with the Bears over the course of a 10-season career that ended in 1965. He saw action on offense and as a kick returner in 1957 and ’58 but was most effective on defense where he was used at both cornerback and safety. Caroline intercepted a total of 24 passes and scored six touchdowns, three of them on offense.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), 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).

MVP Profile: Peyton Manning, 2004

Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Age:  28

7^th season in pro football & with Colts

College: Tennessee

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 230

Prelude:

Son of NFL quarterback Archie Manning and a star in college, Manning was chosen by the Colts with the first overall draft pick in 1998. It didn’t take long for him to justify the selection as he set NFL rookie records with 3739 passing yards and 26 TD passes. He led the league with 575 pass attempts, also a record for a rookie at the time, but also with 28 interceptions on a 3-13 club. The record turned around to 13-3 in ’99, the Colts qualified for the postseason, and Manning was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time as he passed for 4135 yards and, while he again threw 26 TD passes, his interceptions dropped to 15. A classic drop-back passer, he lacked his father’s mobility but made up for it with a quick release – not to mention an excellent work ethic. Manning led the NFL with 357 completions, 4413 yards, and 33 TD passes in 2000 and again was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Following a lesser year in ’01 as the Colts dropped to 6-10, he bounced back with a third Pro Bowl season in 2002, passing for 4200 yards (his fourth straight year over 4000) and 27 touchdowns. The team was back in the playoffs, but for the third straight time Manning and the Colts came up short in their initial postseason game. In 2003 he achieved consensus first-team All-NFL and MVP consideration for the first time as he led the league in completions (379), completion percentage (67.0), and yards (4267). This time the Colts advanced to the AFC title game before falling to the Patriots.

2004 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 497 [8]

Most attempts, game – 44 at Kansas City 10/31, vs. San Diego 12/26

Completions – 336 [4]

Most completions, game – 28 vs. Green Bay 9/26

Yards – 4557 [3]

Most yards, game – 472 at Kansas City 10/31

Completion percentage – 67.6 [3, 1st in AFC]

Yards per attempt – 9.2 [1]

TD passes – 49 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 6 at Detroit 11/25

Interceptions – 10

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Houston 11/14, vs. Tennessee 12/5

Passer rating – 121.1 [1]

400-yard passing games – 2

300-yard passing games – 6

200-yard passing games – 14

Rushing

Attempts – 25

Most attempts, game - 4 (for 20 yds.) vs. Minnesota 11/8

Yards – 38

Most yards, game – 20 yards (on 4 carries) vs. Minnesota 11/8

Yards per attempt – 1.5

TDs – 0

Postseason: 2 G

Pass attempts – 75

Most attempts, game - 42 at New England, AFC Divisional playoff

Pass completions – 54

Most completions, game - 27 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff, at New England, AFC Divisional playoff

Passing yardage – 696

Most yards, game - 458 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff

TD passes – 4

Most TD passes, game - 4 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff

Interceptions – 2

Most interceptions, game - 1 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff, at New England, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing attempts – 2

Most rushing attempts, game - 1 vs. Denver, AFC Wild Card playoff, at New England, AFC Divisional playoff

Rushing yards – 8

Most rushing yards, game - 7 at New England, AFC Divisional playoff

Average gain rushing – 4.0

Rushing TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, PFWA, NEA, Bert Bell Award, Sporting News

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Colts went 12-4 to finish first in the AFC South while leading the NFL in passing offense (4623 yards), scoring (522 points), and touchdowns (66). Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Denver Broncos (49-24). Lost AFC Divisional playoff to New England Patriots (20-3).

Aftermath:

Manning was consensus first-team All-Pro for the third consecutive year in 2005 and, in ’06, finally overcame years of frustration in the playoffs as the Colts won the Super Bowl. Manning led the NFL in TD passes with 31 that year, against just 9 interceptions. Overall, he started 227 regular season games at quarterback, with 208 straight, until sidelined for all of 2011 with a neck injury. Released by the Colts and signed by the Denver Broncos for 2012, Manning made a successful comeback and led the NFL in completion percentage (68.6) while passing for 4659 yards and 37 TDs, garnering consensus first-team All-Pro honors for the sixth time as well as selection to a 12^th Pro Bowl. Thus far, he has passed for 59,487 yards, with 12 seasons over 4000, and 436 TD passes.

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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).

[Updated 11/30/14]

Rookie of the Year: Willie Buchanon, 1972

Cornerback, Green Bay Packers

Age: 22 (Nov. 4)

College: San Diego State

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

Following a college career that was capped by receiving All-America honors and being named MVP of the East-West Shrine Game, Buchanon was taken by the Packers in the first round of the 1972 NFL draft (seventh overall) and moved directly into the starting lineup. He combined with Ken Ellis to create a fast and effective cornerback tandem.

1972 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 4 [20, tied with twenty-four others]

Most interceptions, game – 2 at Minnesota 12/10

Int. return yards – 62

Most int. return yards, game – 26 (on 1 int.) vs. Dallas 10/1

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 3

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Divisional playoff at Washington)

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: AP

NFC Rookie of the Year: NEA

Packers went 10-4 to finish first in the NFC Central while leading the NFC in fewest yards surrendered (3474). Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Washington Redskins (16-3).

Aftermath:

Buchanon suffered a broken leg six games into the 1973 season that cost him the remainder of the year but he still received Pro Bowl recognition. He was chosen again in ’74 but once again broke his leg two games into the 1975 season. He returned to spend three injury-free years with the Packers capped by a 1978 season in which he led the NFC with 9 interceptions and received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. Having played out his option, Buchanon moved on to San Diego in ’79 where he was reunited with his college coach, Don Coryell. He played four seasons for the Chargers, until 1982, and retired with a total of 28 interceptions (21 of them with the Packers). Buchanon was named to a total of three Pro Bowls and received All-NFL honors once.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), 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). 

1969: Jets Withstand Second Half Rally to Beat College All-Stars

The 36^th annual College All-Star Game on August 1, 1969 featured the New York Jets as the pro representative. Last seen upsetting the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, the Jets became the first American Football League Champion to appear in the annual contest sponsored by the Chicago Tribune for Chicago Charities.

There had been turmoil for the Jets in June when star QB Joe Namath (pictured above) announced he would retire rather than sell his interest in the Bachelors III nightclub, as demanded by Commissioner Pete Rozelle, but “Broadway Joe” finally relented and reported to training camp just two weeks prior to the All-Star contest.

On the All-Star side, a shadow was cast by the absence of star running backs O.J. Simpson, the Heisman Trophy winner out of USC, Leroy Keyes from Purdue, and Michigan’s Ron Johnson, who had chosen to skip the game to avoid the risk of injury prior to signing pro contracts. Still, there were plenty of future pro stars playing, including Notre Dame OT George Kunz, TE Bob Klein from USC, and WR Jerry LeVias of Southern Methodist on offense and, defensively, ends Bill Stanfill from Georgia and Fred Dryer of San Diego State, Arkansas State MLB Bill Bergey, cornerbacks Jim Marsalis of Tennessee State and Bill Thompson from Maryland – Eastern Shore, and Missouri safety Roger Wehrli. The team was coached by Otto Graham for the ninth time, returning after a three-year hiatus while he was head coach of the Redskins.

There was a crowd of 74,206 in attendance on a Friday night at Soldier Field and many of them loudly booed Namath when he was introduced. The All-Stars looked tight throughout the first half and were especially hampered by their lack of a running attack. The Jets scored first on a 43-yard Jim Turner field goal. Less than four minutes later, New York struck again on another Turner field goal, this time from 16 yards, and the pro champs led by 6-0 after a quarter of play.

In the second quarter, the Jets added to their lead as they put together a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with FB Matt Snell running the final three yards for a TD. They failed to add to their margin when the All-Stars put together an impressive goal-line stand after the Jets got a first down inside the five yard line, stopping four straight running plays (two each by HB Emerson Boozer and FB Bill Mathis).

The All-Star defense foiled another possible score by the Jets when Snell attempted an option pass intended for TE Pete Lammons from the three yard line that was picked off by DB Bill Bradley. But the All-Stars were unable to mount a threat as they managed just one first down (which was due to a penalty) and scored no points in the first half with Notre Dame’s Terry Hanratty and Bobby Douglass of Kansas appearing at quarterback.

Down 13-0 at the half, the All-Stars fell further behind in the third quarter thanks to Turner’s 42-yard field goal for the Jets. But fortunes changed when QB Greg Cook from Cincinnati (pictured below) entered the contest. The collegians took advantage of a 78-yard kickoff return by RB Altie Taylor to the New York 19 to get on the board. Cook fired a 17-yard touchdown pass to WR Gene Washington from Stanford for a touchdown and Roy Gerela from New Mexico State added the extra point.

Following an interception by CB Rudy Redmond, Gerela kicked a 28-yard field goal that made the Jets’ margin just 16-10. New York responded with a 63-yard drive in four plays that ended with a touchdown on a 35-yard sweep by Snell.

The All-Stars struck back quickly, however, as Cook tossed a bomb to Taylor in a third-and-one situation for a 44-yard gain to the New York 12. On the next play Cook floated a pass into the corner of the end zone that was pulled in by the 242-pound Bob Klein for a TD and Gerela’s successful PAT made it 23-17, which was the tally at the end of the eventful third quarter.

The All-Stars regained possession when Roger Wehrli intercepted a Namath pass at the All-Star 36. Cook completed a 27-yard pass and the All-Stars reached the New York 29 before the drive stalled and Gerela missed on a 37-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide. The Jets, making the most of their reprieve, responded with a 69-yard series that concluded with Jim Turner kicking his fourth field goal of the game, from 18 yards, with just under six minutes remaining to play.

It was still 26-17 when the All-Stars got the ball back at their 20 with slightly less than two minutes to go. Cook threw to Jerry LeVias for 11 yards and connected with him again on a big play that covered 59 yards to the New York 8. A penalty on the Jets edged the collegians closer, but controversy ensued on the next play when a throw intended for Gene Washington that was defended by CB Johnny Sample was incomplete. Otto Graham, believing that Sample interfered with Washington, loudly complained to the officials and was in turn confronted by Sample. Graham came away with a bloody scrape on his nose from Sample’s helmet and a 15-yard penalty for being outside his assigned sideline area.

Still, the collegians managed to capitalize when Cook handed off to Taylor who tossed the ball back to him and the quarterback then threw to LeVias for a 19-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left on the clock. Gerela’s PAT was successful, but any last chance for the All-Stars ended when the ensuing onside kick failed to go the required ten yards, and the Jets were able to run out the remaining time for the 26-24 win.

As close as the score was, the Jets dominated statistically, outgaining the All-Stars by 463 yards to 260 and holding a substantial edge in first downs of 28 to 8.

Joe Namath, who was wearing a three-bar linemen’s face mask for the first time in his career, had to remain in the game far longer than Head Coach Weeb Ewbank would have liked due to the All-Star rally. While not fully up to par, he completed 17 of 32 passes for 292 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Matt Snell (pictured above) rushed for 114 yards and two TDs on 19 carries as the Jets piled up 201 yards on the ground. WR Bake Turner, in for the injured George Sauer, caught 8 passes for 145 yards.

With a lack of strong runners, the All-Stars gained just 16 rushing yards, on 13 attempts, and the individual leader was Kansas QB Bobby Douglass with 7 yards on one carry. Greg Cook’s passing was nevertheless nearly enough to pull out the contest as he was successful on 12 of 23 throws for 241 yards and three touchdowns. Jerry LeVias was the leading receiver with three catches for 89 yards.

In the ensuing season, the Jets went 10-4 to again top the Eastern Division in the AFL’s last campaign prior to merging with the NFL, but they lost to Kansas City in the Divisional playoff round. Joe Namath had another outstanding year, receiving AFL Player of the Year recognition from the Associated Press.

Greg Cook had a remarkable rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals, leading the AFL in passing and garnering Rookie of the Year honors, but unfortunately his career went no further due to his sustaining a serious arm injury along the way. 

MVP Profile: O.J. Simpson, 1975

Running Back, Buffalo Bills

Age: 28

7^th season in pro football & with Bills

College: Southern California

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 212

Prelude:

Following an outstanding college career capped by winning the 1968 Heisman Trophy, the highly-coveted Simpson was drafted by the Bills with the first overall pick in the combined AFL/NFL draft. His pro career started slowly, as he was used sparingly and missed time due to injury during his first three seasons, never carrying more than 182 times or gaining more than 742 yards. However, the return to Buffalo of Head Coach Lou Saban in 1972 marked a change as Simpson became the centerpiece of the offense and led the NFL in rushing with 1251 yards, earning 1^st-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He followed that up in 1973 by shattering the single-season rushing record with 2003 yards and gaining consensus MVP honors. While his rushing total dropped to 1125 yards in ’74, Simpson still received consensus 1^st-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors for the third straight year and the Bills reached the postseason.

1975 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 329 [1]

Most attempts, game - 34 (for 126 yds.) vs. NY Giants 10/20

Yards – 1817 [1]

Most yards, game – 227 yards (on 28 carries) at Pittsburgh 9/28

Average gain – 5.5 [1]

TDs – 16 [1, tied with Pete Banaszak]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 8

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 28      

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 117 yds.) at Miami 12/7

Yards – 426

Most yards, game - 117 (on 8 catches) at Miami 12/7

Average gain – 15.2

TDs – 7 [9, tied with five others]

100-yard receiving games – 1

All-Purpose yards – 2243 [2, 1st in AFC]

Scoring

TDs – 23 [1]

Points – 138 [1]

Awards & Honors:

AFC Player of the Year: Sporting News

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

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

Pro Bowl

Bills went 8-6 to finish third in the AFC East while leading the NFL in total offense (5467 yards), rushing yards (2974), scoring (420 points), and touchdowns (57).

Aftermath:

Simpson led the NFL in rushing for the fourth time in five years in 1976 with 1503 yards and received All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition for the fifth and last time (he had also been chosen to one AFL All-Star Game). Injuries in 1977 limited him to seven games and he was dealt to the 49ers, where he spent his last two seasons (1978 and ’79). Upon retirement, he had gained 11,236 rushing yards, the second-highest total up to that time. Simpson 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). 

[Updated 11/29/14]