Making a Case for a Dark Horse MVP Candidate
The MVP Award has almost exclusively become a quarterback award. The last non-quarterback MVP was in 2012, when it was running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson put up one of the best seasons by a running back in NFL history, with 2,097 rushing yards. Now in 2025, Jonathan Taylor is poised to have a similar season.
Taylor has been lighting up the stat sheet in 2025. Currently, through seven weeks, Taylor leads the league in rushing yards with 697, while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. To add to an already impressive resume, Taylor leads all skill positions in touchdowns with 11. In comparison to Peterson’s 2012 MVP campaign, Peterson had 652 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and was averaging 4.8 yards per carry through seven weeks. Similarly, the Vikings were 5-2 in 2012, and the Colts are currently 6-1. Taylor’s start to the season is even more impressive than Peterson's. If Taylor can keep this pace, he is on track to break the single-season rushing record, currently held by Eric Dickerson’s 1984 season with 2,105 rushing yards. Taylor’s impact this season cannot be stated enough. While quarterback Daniel Jones has exceeded all expectations, Taylor has played a massive role in opening up the game for Jones. Taylor demands attention and currently has a 24.4% rate against stacked boxes. Teams are bringing more defenders to the line to contain Taylor, opening up the entire offense.
The league needs another position to win MVP. For too long, it has been a quarterback award, diminishing the shine that other positions can produce. The running back position would benefit immensely from another running back MVP. In today's game, the running back position has been dramatically diminished. Teams prioritise a committee approach to the running back position. Oftentimes, top talent at the running back position has been underpaid, with many greats being paid under what they are worth. Last year was the reemergence of the elite running back, behind monster seasons from Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. If Taylor keeps up his historic pace, or if he manages to break the single-season rushing record, no other player is more deserving of the MVP Award.
