20 best running back seasons in NFL history

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 15, 1964: Runningback Jim Brown #32 of the Cleveland Browns awaits the next series of plays for the offense during a game on November 15, 1964 against the Detroit Lions at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Also pictured for the Bowns include Frank Ryan #13 and Clifton McNeil #85. 64-71385 (Photo by: Herman Seid Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – SEPTEMBER 16: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the football against the Indianapolis Colts during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 16, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts won 23-20. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

17. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (2012)

Make it 10 consecutive seasons (and counting) that a quarterback earned the NFL’s MVP award. Since 2013, the list reads Denver’s Peyton Manning (2013), Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (2014, 2020 and 2021), Carolina’s Cam Newton (2015), Atlanta’s Matt Ryan (2016), New England’s Tom Brady (2017), Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (2018 and 2022), and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (2019)

In 2012, Minnesota Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson was coming off a season in which he played in a career-low 12 games and ran for fewer than 1,000 yards (970) for the first time in his six-year stay in the NFL. Season seven for the 2007 first-round draft pick got off to a slow start. Peterson totaled only 113 carries for 499 yards and two scores in the team’s first six games. He ran for 100-plus yards just once over that span.

Then came the final 10 outings of 2012. A total of 235 attempts for 1,598 yards and 10 touchdowns, with 100 or more yards rushing in nine contests. It would all add up to 2,097 yards on the ground, the second-highest single-season total in league annals.

Peterson was named the league’s MVP and the Vikings were playoff bound. The team was a bit undermanned against the Packers, but the star runner came up with 99 yards rushing on 22 carries in a 24-10 loss.

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