Ranking the last 10 AP MVP award-winning seasons from best to worst
By Daniel
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
5. Adrian Peterson, 2012
What the Minnesota Vikings’ running back accomplished in 2012 was truly incredible. Adrian Peterson took a team that had no business going to the playoffs to the damn playoffs. He did so while putting the team on his back, joining the 2,000-yard club, and taking home the AP MVP award. He was the first running back to win the trophy since 2006.
Peterson ran for a ridiculous 2,097 yards three seasons ago to go along with 13 total touchdowns. Sure his touchdown production wasn’t the most impressive, but you have to consider the team he was playing on. There weren’t a ton of weapons in Minnesota in 2012 and defenses knew he was getting the ball. What’s most impressive was his 131.1 yards per game average in 2012. In Shaun Alexander’s amazing 2005 season he averaged ‘just’ 117.5 yards per game on the ground. That shows you everything you need to know about how great Peterson’s 2012 MVP season was.
However, Peterson’s 6.0 yards per carry (wow) in 2012 has to be mentioned and it should be noted that he only fumbled the ball four times all year, too. No one in Minnesota will be forgetting Peterson’s 2012 season anytime soon, even with his ongoing saga of legal trouble and wanting to play elsewhere. That said, there is one running back ranked ahead of Peterson on this list — can you guess who it is?
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