Rookie of the Year: Buddy Curry, 1980

Linebacker, Atlanta Falcons

Age: 22

College: North Carolina

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 221

Prelude:

An All-ACC selection, Curry was a second-round draft choice by the Falcons for 1980, one of four linebackers they took. Starting on the inside, he combined with fellow rookie Al Richardson (who he ended up sharing AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with), veteran Fulton Kuykendall, and second-year OLB Joel Williams to create an outstanding corps of linebackers.

1980 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – N/A

Interceptions – 3

Most interceptions, game – 1 at New England 9/14, vs. Washington 11/30, at Philadelphia 12/7

Int. return yards – 13

Most int. return yards, game – 9 (on 1 int.) at New England 9/14

Int. TDs – 0

Fumble recoveries – 1

Fumble rec. TDs – 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

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

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: AP (co-winner), PFWA

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Falcons went 12-4 to finish first in the NFC West with the best record in the conference. Lost NFC Divisional playoff to Dallas Cowboys (30-27).  

Aftermath:

Curry had another solid season in 1981, despite the team’s overall decline, and scored his only NFL touchdown on an interception return. He led the Falcons in tackles in the strike-shortened ’82 season (something he regularly did throughout his career), but a knee injury prevented him from appearing in the playoff game afterward. Moved to the outside in 1983, Curry recorded a career-high four sacks, but was shifted to the middle as the team went to a 4-3 defense in ’84. After appearing in 105 straight games through 1986, Curry was limited to four games due to injury in ’87 and retired in the offseason. Overall, he played eight years with the Falcons and led the team in tackles in each of the first seven.

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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). 

MVP Profile: Troy Polamalu, 2010

Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age: 29

8^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: Southern California

Height: 5’10” Weight: 207

Prelude:

Highly regarded coming out of college due to his speed and hard-hitting style, Polamalu was chosen by the Steelers in the first round (16^th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft. He had difficulty adjusting to the pro game as a rookie, but moved into the starting lineup at strong safety in ’04 and came on strong, intercepting five passes and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl. It was the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl seasons for Polamalu, and after receiving second-team All-NFL honors from the Associated Press in 2004, he was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice in 2005. Polamalu was utilized in a variety of ways, both in coverage as well as like an extra linebacker, in order to take advantage of his disruptive playmaking ability. However, his style of play began to take a physical toll. He missed five games in 2007, came back to intercept 7 passes as his coverage skills improved in ’08, but then appeared in only five contests in 2009 due to a knee injury.

2010 Season Summary

Appeared in 14 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 1

Interceptions – 7 [2, tied with Devin McCourty & Asante Samuel]

Most interceptions, game – 2 vs. Cincinnati 12/12

Int. return yards – 101 [9, tied with Joe Haden & Bryan McCann]

Most int. return yards, game – 57 (on 2 int.) vs. Cincinnati 12/12

Int. TDs – 1

Fumble recoveries – 1

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 49

Assists – 15

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Postseason: 3 G

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: AP

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

2^nd team All-NFL: Pro Football Focus

Pro Bowl

Steelers went 12-4 to finish first in the AFC North while leading the NFL in sacks (48), fewest rushing yards allowed (1004), and fewest points allowed (232). Won AFC Divisional playoff over Baltimore Ravens (31-24) and AFC Championship over New York Jets (24-19). Lost Super Bowl to Green Bay Packers (31-25).

Aftermath:

Polamalu followed up in 2011 by playing in every game and once more achieving consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. However, durability again became an issue in 2012 as he missed nine games with a calf injury and there were questions regarding his future in Pittsburgh. He bounced back in 2013, playing in all 16 games and returning to the Pro Bowl. Overall through 2013, Polamalu has been a consensus first-team All-NFL selection four times, garnered second-team honors twice, and been chosen to the Pro Bowl after eight seasons. He has intercepted 32 passes, three of which were returned for TDs, and been credited with 12 sacks and 539 solo tackles.

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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.

1983: Bandits Pull Out Win Over Breakers in USFL Debut

March 6, 1983 marked the debut of the United States Football League with the first game starting in Tampa between the Tampa Bay Bandits and Boston Breakers, just ahead of four other Sunday afternoon contests.

The Bandits were owned by John Bassett, a Canadian businessman who had once operated the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League. The head coach was Steve Spurrier, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the University of Florida who played in the NFL with the 49ers and Buccaneers and had most recently been offensive coordinator at Duke. 33-year-old John Reaves (pictured above) was the starting quarterback and, like his coach, had also starred at Florida but had little success as a pro and had been dogged by drug and alcohol problems off the field. Reaves had last played for Houston in 1981 and was selling real estate in that city when the opportunity to play in the new league came along.

Boston also had a veteran quarterback in John Walton, a 35-year-old who had last played as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979 before becoming head coach at Elizabeth City State for three years. Walton was also a veteran of the Continental and World Football Leagues along the way and had demonstrated a strong passing arm. Head Coach Dick Coury was an experienced NFL assistant who had also been head coach with the WFL’s Portland Storm.

There was plenty of hoopla surrounding the opening game at Tampa Stadium with a good crowd of 42,447 fans in attendance on a sunny, 80-degree afternoon. The Bandits came out fast, running their first eight plays without a huddle, but it was Boston’s Tim Mazzetti who put the first points on the board a minute before the end of the first quarter with a 30-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, the Bandits put together a 75-yard drive in six plays that culminated in Reaves throwing to RB Ricky Williams for a five-yard touchdown with six minutes remaining in the first half. Zenon Andrusyshyn added the extra point. Boston responded with an eight-play, 80-yard series that also led to a TD on a pass from John Walton to RB Anthony Steels. Mazzetti successfully added the PAT to give the Breakers a three-point lead at 10-7.

In their first possession of the third quarter, the Bandits drove 83 yards to score again. Reaves completed all four of his passes, the last one for a six-yard touchdown to WR Eric Truvillion. Moving the ball effectively later in the period and ahead by 14-10, it seemed as though the Bandits were on the verge of taking control of the game as they faced third-and-goal at the Boston three yard line. However, Reaves fired a pass into the end zone that was tipped twice before being intercepted by CB Terry Love five yards deep in the end zone. Love proceeded to run 102 yards before being brought down at the Tampa Bay three by Truvillion. Three plays later, the Breakers re-took the lead on a one-yard carry by FB Tony Davis and Mazzetti added the point after.

The momentum had shifted and Tampa Bay’s next possession also ended with an interception, but the Breakers were unable to add points. With 10:17 left in the game, Reaves went long to WR Willie Gillespie for a 33-yard touchdown that put the Bandits back in front to stay, Andrusyshyn capping the score with his third extra point of the contest.

That was it for the scoring. Holding a four-point lead and with 1:35 left in the contest, the Bandits were in possession at their own 29 and Coach Spurrier gambled by seeking to convert a fourth-and-one situation. The Breakers stopped the ensuing running play by RB Greg Boone but were flagged for being offsides. Tampa Bay was able to run out the clock and win by a final score of 21-17. 

The Bandits easily outpaced Boston in total yards (470 to 225) and first downs (26 to 14). However, the Breakers led in time of possession (31:02 to 28:58) and Tampa Bay turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the visitors.

John Reaves had a fine performance, completing 28 of 39 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns, along with two interceptions. Ricky Williams, who played collegiately at Florida State, got the starting nod at running back due to a foot injury suffered by RB George Ragsdale on the opening kickoff and rushed for 97 yards on 25 carries and also had 6 catches for 49 more yards that included a TD (his only production of the season, as he went down with a knee injury the following week). WR Danny Buggs led the club with 7 pass receptions for 112 yards and Eric Truvillion contributed 6 catches for 88 yards and a score.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 163 yards and a TD along with one interception. Tony Davis rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts while RB Anthony Steels gained 23 yards on 6 carries and added 4 receptions for 35 yards. Veteran WR Charlie Smith, a former teammate of Walton’s in Philadelphia, gained a team-leading 48 yards on his two catches.

“I was very much pleased with what I saw,” said former Steelers RB Rocky Bleier, who was on hand to cover the game for a Pittsburgh television station. “It was wide open, there was a good selection of plays and there wasn’t the kind of sloppy play you might expect for a game like this.”

The opening-week win was the first of four straight for the Bandits, but they stumbled during the second half of the season and the resulting 11-7 record left them third in the Central Division and just short of the playoffs. The loss of John Reaves with a broken wrist was a factor, although backup Jimmy Jordan performed well until also going down with an injury.

Boston recovered to go 11-7 as well, good enough for second in the Atlantic Division although also on the outside looking in for the postseason.

1984: Stallions Defeat Express with Strong Running Game

The upgraded Birmingham Stallions were 0-1 as they traveled to Los Angeles to take on the equally winless Express in a United States Football League game on March 4, 1984. Head Coach Rollie Dotsch’s team was coming off a 9-9 inaugural season, but had added NFL veterans to the roster in the offseason, most notably QB Cliff Stoudt, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and ex-Bills RB Joe Cribbs. WR Jim Smith also came from the Steelers to bolster the receiving corps. Still, Birmingham lost to the New Jersey Generals in Week 1 by a score of 17-6 at home.

The Express, coached by ex-pro quarterback John Hadl, had problems on offense, most notably at quarterback where Tom Ramsey was the starter. Still, WR JoJo Townsell was a promising player out of UCLA and the offensive line featured well-regarded rookie linemen in OT Mark Adickes and G Gary Zimmerman. LA lost to Denver by a 27-10 score in the opening week.

There was a typically sparse crowd of 14,789 in attendance at the cavernous Memorial Coliseum. They witnessed a scoreless first quarter. In the early part of the second quarter, and following a shanked punt by the Express deep in their own territory, Birmingham went 38 yards in four plays that ended with FB Leon Perry (pictured above) running for a 29-yard touchdown and Scott Norwood added the extra point. With just under six minutes remaining in the half, LA tied the score. Tom Ramsey connected with TE David Hersey for a 42-yard TD and Tony Zendejas was successful with the PAT.

Birmingham came out strong with the first possession of the third quarter. Cliff Stoudt completed a six-play, 87-yard drive with a one-yard run that put the Stallions back in front, with Norwood adding the point after. Along the way, Stoudt had a 13-yard carry and a pass completion to Joe Cribbs that picked up 26 yards.

Birmingham utilized a strong ground game along with Stoudt’s judicious passing to take control in the second half. Thirteen seconds into the fourth quarter, the Stallions got what would prove to be the clinching TD when Cribbs ran for a touchdown from 18 yards out and Norwood booted his third extra point.

Late in the third quarter, Coach Hadl replaced Ramsey with backup QB Frank Seurer, who provided some excitement.  The Express scored on a two-yard carry by RB Kevin Nelson, but a pass to WR Malcolm Moore that reached the Birmingham five was wiped out by a penalty and the home team never again threatened. The Stallions held on to win by a final score of 21-14.

The Stallions outgained Los Angeles by 330 yards to 305, with 225 of that total coming on the ground. They also had a 17 to 16 edge in first downs. Each team suffered one turnover.

Leon Perry rushed for 93 yards on 13 carries that included a touchdown and Joe Cribbs contributed 81 yards, also on 13 attempts. Cliff Stoudt completed 9 of 17 passes for 142 yards and ran the ball 7 times for 33 yards with one TD. WR Jim Smith was the team’s top receiver with four catches for 64 yards.

For the Express, Tom Ramsey was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 126 yards and a TD with one interception before being lifted for Frank Seurer, who was 7 of 17 for 123 yards. Kevin Nelson ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and TE Mike Sherrod was the top receiver with 5 receptions for 51 yards. JoJo Townsell added 48 yards on four catches and WR Anthony Allen gained 52 yards on his two receptions.

“It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win and we’re thankful to be leaving here with a ‘W’,” said a relieved Coach Rollie Dotsch.

To make matters worse for Los Angeles, Mark Adickes went down with torn knee ligaments, costing him the remainder of the season. Furthermore, Tom Ramsey expressed annoyance at being relieved and Coach Hadl indicated that Seurer might start the next week (which he did), but any quarterback controversy was resolved once rookie Steve Young joined the team a few weeks later.

The win ignited the Stallions, who put together a nine-game winning streak before losing to the Philadelphia Stars on May 9. The offense continued to perform well – even when Joe Cribbs left the team due to a contract dispute – and the defense was outstanding against the run. Birmingham was the USFL’s top ground-gaining team (3313 yards) and finished atop the Southern Division with a 14-4 record but, after handily defeating Tampa Bay in the opening playoff round, again fell to the Stars in the Eastern Conference Championship Game.

Los Angeles also reached the postseason, performing better on offense once Young took over at quarterback. In the mediocre Pacific Division, the Express placed first with a 10-8 record and unseated the defending-champion Michigan Panthers in an epic overtime win before losing to Arizona in the Western Conference title contest.

Rookie of the Year: Gail Cogdill, 1960

Split End, Detroit Lions

Age: 23

College: Washington State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

Cogdill received All-American recognition following his last two college seasons and overall compiled 64 pass receptions for 1256 yards and 13 touchdowns, including a 7-catch, 252-yard performance against Northwestern during his junior year. He was chosen by the Lions in the sixth round of the 1960 NFL draft and, spurning an offer from the Dallas Texans of the new AFL, moved directly into the starting lineup.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 43 [8, tied with Willard Dewveall]

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 115 yds.) vs. San Francisco 10/9

Yards – 642 [11]

Most yards, game – 115 (on 8 catches) vs. San Francisco 10/9

Average gain – 14.9

TDs – 1

100-yard receiving games - 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: UPI, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Lions went 7-5 to finish second in the NFL Western Conference (along with the 49ers).

Aftermath:

Cogdill followed up in 1961 with 45 catches for 956 yards (21.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. He achieved career highs with 53 receptions and 991 yards in 1962 and 10 TD catches in ’63, garnering Pro Bowl honors both years. Fast and prone to making big plays, Cogdill was a solid deep receiver for a team that relied more on ball control and strong defense. Injuries became a factor later in his career. A dislocated shoulder ended his 1964 season in the 11^th game and a fractured kneecap during the ’65 preseason cost him five games and severely limited his performance when he did play. He came back to catch 47 passes in 1966, but for just 411 yards, and following a down year in ’67 he was waived during the 1968 season and picked up by the Colts, where he sat on the bench as leg problems continued to be an issue. Cogdill finished up with two years in Atlanta, catching a total of 31 passes and retiring after the ’70 season. Overall, he caught 356 passes for 5696 yards (16.0 avg.) and 34 touchdowns – of those totals, 325 receptions, 5221 yards, and 28 TDs came with Detroit. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times.and received second-team All-NFL honors following the 1962, ’63, and ’64 seasons.

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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). 

1985: Flutie Throws 4 TD Passes as Generals Defeat Renegades

The New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League were 0-1 as they faced the Orlando Renegades, also 0-1, on March 1, 1985. The center of attention for New Jersey was rookie QB Doug Flutie, the diminutive Heisman Trophy winner out of Boston College who had struggled in his debut against the Birmingham Stallions.

Flutie signed a five-year, $7 million deal to join the Generals, and was put even more on the spot when veteran QB Brian Sipe was traded away to Jacksonville, thus propelling the rookie immediately into the starting lineup. Head Coach Walt Michaels’ team had been heavily dependent on another ex-Heisman winner, RB Herschel Walker, in its first two years and had benefited from an influx of veteran talent that owner Donald Trump signed to bolster the roster. Flutie was hoping to rebound from a rough performance against the Stallions in which he misfired on his first nine passes, two of which were intercepted.

The Renegades were the transplanted Washington Federals of 1983 and ’84 under new ownership and a new head coach in Lee Corso. The Federals had been a losing team, but RB Curtis Bledsoe and WR Joey Walters were quality players. Quarterback was a question mark with mediocre veteran Jerry Golsteyn starting, who was sacked eight times in a Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay.

There were 32,748 fans in attendance for the nationally televised Friday night game at the Florida Citrus Bowl. They had little to cheer about, as the Generals dominated the first half. Orlando had difficulty generating offense with Jerry Golsteyn. Meanwhile, Doug Flutie’s mobility and the rushing of Herschel Walker and FB Maurice Carthon allowed the visitors to score three touchdowns in the first thirty minutes of play.  

Flutie threw to WR Clarence Collins for a nine-yard touchdown in the first quarter and connected with Collins, again from nine yards, for another TD midway into the second quarter. Just before the half, Flutie tossed his third touchdown pass, this time covering 25 yards to TE Sam Bowers. Roger Ruzek added the extra point after each and the score was 21-0 at halftime.

In addition to his scoring passes, Flutie scrambled for 48 yards in the first half and continually kept the Orlando defense off balance.  Walker and Carthon combined for 139 yards on 29 carries. Meanwhile, Jerry Golsteyn was successful on only four of 15 first half passes.

Early in the third quarter, Orlando’s offense finally came alive and put together an impressive 10-play, 64-yard drive that stalled at the New Jersey 12. Jeff Brockhaus kicked a 22-yard field goal to get the Renegades on the board. However, Flutie tossed his fourth touchdown pass, once again to Collins on a 47-yard play that put the home team 25 points behind.

Orlando finally scored again midway through the fourth quarter. Golsteyn threw to TE Bob Niziolek for a two-yard touchdown. It followed a Golsteyn completion to TE Don Echols that gained 18 yards to the three, where Echols fumbled into the end zone but, although Orlando recovered, the officials ruled the ball dead at the three. It was of no consequence to the outcome as New Jersey came away with a convincing 28-10 win.

The Generals dominated in total yards (449 to 214), with 258 of that total coming on the ground, and had twice as many first downs (26 to 13) as Orlando. The Renegades also turned the ball over twice, to no turnovers suffered by New Jersey.

Doug Flutie didn’t have a high-percentage passing day as he was successful on 11 of 24 throws, but they were good for 191 yards and four touchdowns while none were intercepted. Flutie also ran the ball 6 times for 57 yards. Herschel Walker, as was typically the case, led the ground attack with 110 yards on 25 carries and Maurice Carthon contributed another 91 yards on 20 attempts. Clarence Collins (pictured below) was the receiving star with four catches for 82 yards and three TDs.

For the Renegades, Jerry Golsteyn was successful on 12 of 27 passes for 138 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. Curtis Bledsoe ran for 68 yards on 15 attempts and also caught four passes for 29 more yards. WR Ricky Simmons gained a team-leading 37 yards on his two receptions and Bob Niziolek was right behind with 36 yards on three catches that included the club’s only TD.

“It was a load off my back,” said a relieved Doug Flutie after a strong performance in a win for the Generals.

“I think what did us in was the speed and quickness of Flutie…He just did us in,” said Orlando’s Coach Corso. “He did some great things individually. I was very impressed with Flutie. I thought he played very well.”

The Generals went on to post an 11-7 record in finishing second in the Eastern Conference. They lost their Quarterfinal playoff game to the Baltimore Stars. Orlando continued to struggle and ended up at the bottom of the conference at 5-13.

Doug Flutie passed for 2109 yards with 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and, as he did against the Renegades, utilized his running ability to good effect in gaining 465 yards on 65 carries. A broken collar bone sidelined him late in the season. Clarence Collins caught just one more scoring pass over the course of the season, ending up with 27 catches for 566 yards (21.0 avg.). 

MVP Profile: Adrian Peterson, 2012

Running Back, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 27

6^th season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Oklahoma

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 217

Prelude:

Taken by the Vikings in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft, Peterson made an immediate impact as he rushed for 1341 yards as a rookie, including a single-game record 296 yards against San Diego. If there was any downside, it came in the knee injury that caused him to miss two games, his lesser numbers as defenses stacked the line to stop him when he returned, and his mediocre pass blocking. Still, with his speed complemented by power, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Peterson followed up by leading the NFL in rushing (1760 yards) and yards from scrimmage (1885) in 2009 and received the Bert Bell Award as well as consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. In 2009, he compiled 1383 rushing yards and a league-leading 18 TDs while also catching a career-high 43 passes as the Vikings went 12-4 and advanced to the NFC Championship game. While a tendency to fumble was still a concern (he lost the ball 9 times in 2008 and 7 in ’09), Peterson was again a consensus first-team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl. Turmoil touched the team in 2010, which dropped to 6-10, but Peterson was a bulwark who ran for 1298 yards, scored 13 TDs, fumbled only once, and was selected to a fourth straight Pro Bowl. However, it appeared that his career was in jeopardy when he went down with a torn ACL twelve games into the 2011 season that required surgery.

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 348 [2]

Most attempts, game - 34 (for 199 yds.) vs. Green Bay 12/30

Yards – 2097 [1]

Most yards, game – 212 yards (on 24 carries) at St. Louis 12/16

Average gain – 6.0 [2]

TDs – 12 [3, tied with Stevan Ridley]

200-yard rushing games – 2

100-yard rushing games - 10

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 40      

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 50 yds.) at Washington 10/14

Yards – 217

Most yards, game - 50 (on 7 catches) at Washington 10/14

Average gain – 5.4

TDs – 1

All-Purpose Yards – 2314 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 13 [3, tied with Eric Decker & Alfred Morris]

2-pt PAT – 1

Points – 80

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Green Bay)

Rushing attempts – 22

Rushing yards – 99

Average gain rushing – 4.5

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 1

Receiving yards – 8

Average gain receiving – 8.0

Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, PFWA, Sports Illustrated, Bert Bell Award

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP, Sporting News

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

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 10-6 to finish second in the NFC North and qualify for a Wild Card playoff spot while ranking second in the NFL in rushing (2634 yards). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Green Bay Packers (24-10).

Aftermath:

Following up his remarkable comeback in 2012 that nearly resulted in a new NFL rushing record, Peterson ran for 1266 yards in 14 games in ‘13 and had 1437 yards from scrimmage. Through the 2013 season he had rushed for 10,115 yards on 2033 carries (5.0 avg.) and caught 206 passes for 1697 yards, totaling 91 touchdowns. He has been a consensus first-team All-NFL selection on three occasions, received at least some first- or second-team recognition after three other seasons, and has been named to the Pro Bowl six times in seven years.

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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).