NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

NFL: Ranking every MVP winner in league history based on pro career

By Hans Themistode

NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 11: Running back Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball during a NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 11: Running back Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball during a NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 50
Next
Brian Sipe
Brian Sipe (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

Ranking every MVP winner in NFL history: 48. Brian Sipe

Stats:

  • 23,713 passing yards
  • 154 touchdowns
  • 149 interceptions

When you take a good hard look at the career of quarterback Brian Sipe, it wasn’t very impressive. If the former 330th overall pick wasn’t throwing the ball to the other team, he was oftentimes doing just enough to lose games.

If we exclude the 1980 season, Sipe was your typical bottom of the barrel signal-caller. In total, he won 46 games while losing 50. He also threw 124 touchdowns while giving the ball away 135 times.

The book on Sipe appeared to be written. That is, until the 1980 NFL season came rolling by. With no warning, Sipe turned into one of the best players in the entire NFL. He was amongst the league’s best in passing yards with 4,132 and followed that up with 30 touchdowns throws. He also surprisingly took care of the ball, only throwing 14 picks that season. Sipe was fantastic and netted the league MVP award in one of the most surprising results ever.

That would be the only season that Sipe and his Cleveland Browns would make the playoffs under his guidance. Once the lights hit their brightest, Sipe turned back into the player most had known him for. In a first-round matchup against the Raiders, Sipe threw for 183 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions, and completed only 32.5% of his passes. The Browns managed to put up only 12 points and Sipe would never see postseason action again.

Home/NFL