NFL MVP: Vikings Running Back Adrian Peterson Wins 2012 MVP Award
By Josh Hill
He put together one of the finest seasons an NFL running back has ever been able to accomplish, and although he missed Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record by mere yards, Minnesota Vikings superstar Adrian Peterson has been rewarded with his first ever NFL MVP award. Peterson beat out Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt for the honor.
Peterson’s season was truly one for the ages, as he not only was the sole reason his team made it to the playoffs, but he shattered records left and right. A lot of people forget, Peterson is already the record holder for the most yards by a running back in Minnesota Vikings history already, and he’s the owner of the most single-game yards in franchise and league history as well.
Although he finished just shy of Dickerson’s league record for single-season yards, Peterson crushed the Vikings franchise record and now owns almost all rushing categories in the history of the storied franchise.
Manning also put together a fine season but many believe if you took him off the Broncos, Denver would still have made the playoffs. Take Peterson off the Vikings and that team barely wins 7 games let alone the 10 they ended up winning. Peterson fell just short of the rushing record in the final game of the season against the Packers, but the reason he did is the reason he’s truly an MVP.
Peterson needed under 10 yards to break Dickerson’s record and the Vikings could have tried to get him there. With little time on the clock and no timeouts left, the Vikings could have gotten Peterson the record, let time expire and still head to overtime with the Packers. But rather than be selfish, the Vikings kicked a game winning field goal that propelled them into the playoffs, and Peterson substituted an individual accomplishment for a team victory.
What makes his 2,000 yard season even more exciting is the fact that he did all of this on a surgically reconstructed left knee. Less than a year after tearing apart his ACL, Peterson was tearing apart NFL records and almost capped off what would have been the most incredible comeback season by an NFL player ever.
Adrian Peterson is the NFL MVP, and really that’s the way it should be.