NFL wide receivers that should have been league MVP: 9. Mark Clayton, 1984
Mark Clayton doesn’t get enough credit for the ridiculous seasons he had in the 1980s. Back then, everyone was giving credit to Dan Marino. Trust us, we get it, but he doesn’t have the start to his career without the great play of Mark Clayton.
Marino, like Peyton Manning, did not have a perfect rookie season with the Miami Dolphins. He only threw for 2,200 yards. It wasn’t like he struggled like Manning, but Marino didn’t show the superstar ability that he would prove to have. In his second season, Marino showed he could be the best quarterback in the league.
Marino had more than 5,500 yards that season. Clayton helped lead Marino to water like a thirsty horse. Clayton had 1,389 yards and 18 touchdowns. Both Clayton and Marino were in their second years in the league, and they grew together.
Dan Marino ended up winning the MVP that season, so that’s fine we suppose. However, does he get the jump start to his career without Clayton? Is he able to be a 5,000 yard passer with just any receiver? The fact that Clayton was able to do what he did in his passer’s second season shows how important he was. Marino would even admit that Clayton was crucial to his first MVP season.