A lot of unexpected things happen in an NFL season, it even led to a myth that went on to become a meme that the sport is actually scripted. Whatever the case, perhaps no event could compare to the time the NFL awarded a kicker as the league MVP.

Could you actually imagine if Justin Tucker won the biggest individual award in the NFL over Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or his teammate Lamar Jackson?

The story begins in an era when the NFL was entering a new age of success having secured a colossal TV deal worth around $2 billion with major networks like CBS, NBC, and ABC. This new deal led to contention from players who wanted a fair share of the league's newfound riches.

Team owners resisted at first, which triggered an unprecedented mid-season player strike that ultimately lasted eight weeks. With almost two months of games lost, the league had no choice but to shorten the season to just nine games instead of canceling the season entirely.

Aside from the shortened season, this season was also the first time in history where 16 teams would make the playoffs instead of the usual eight. This is where Mark Moseley enters the picture.

How Mark Moseley won MVP in the 1982 season

By 1982, Moseley was an 11-year veteran whose game was beginning to wane. As the kicker of the Washington Redskins for the past eight seasons only making 59% of his field goals, Moseley knew his time was all but over once the Redskins drafted kicker Dan Miller during the 11th round of the draft.

However, once Miller missed two straight field goals in the preseason, the team gave Moseley another chance. Post strike, Moseley seized his opportunity. He was perfect in the Redskins' next three games, going 5 for 5 on field goals. In one game, he even scored all of the team's points in a narrow 12-7 victory against the Cardinals. For the season, Moseley missed only one kick all season, helping the Redskins secure the number one seed with an 8-1 record.

Moseley's extraordinary season earned him the MVP award, winning it over notable players like Dan Fouts and Marcus Allen. His win was historic, marking the only time in NFL history that a kicker has received the league's most prestigious individual award.

Surprisingly, once Moseley won MVP, his performance dipped in the playoffs missing more field goals in than he had all season. His struggles didn't hurt the Redskins since they did cap the year winning Super Bowl 17.