A random assortment of 20 NFL players was polled at this past year's Pro Bowl in Las Vegas. Among the questions was who they would have named league MVP. Was it a two-man battle between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady? The results may shock you…
Aaron Rodgers? Nope.
Tom Brady? Nope.
Jonathan Taylor? Yep.
Among the 20 players, the most common answer was Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who received eight out of the 20 votes, which was twice as many as the next player voted on. Taylor, who for most is the top running back in the NFL, finished the season with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. Rodgers and Brady, who were the consensus front runners amongst the media at the end of the season, we're left out of many of the conversations.
In addition to league MVP, players voted on items such as most underrated players on both offense and defense, favorite and least-favorite NFL city to travel to, coach you'd like to play for, favorite athlete outside, and defensive MVP, which was a run-away, landslide victory for Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt who finished the season tied with NFL’s single-season sack record with 22 1/2, his second straight year leading the league.
Quarterbacks have won all but three NFL MVP awards dating back to the 2000 NFL season, with the only three non-quarterback award winners being all runnings backs in Adrian Peterson (2012), LaDainian Tomlinson (2006), and Shaun Alexander (2005). Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have won the award a combined seven times in that time frame with Rodgers earning the honor four times, and Brady three.