NFL wide receivers that should have been league MVP: 8. Lance Alworth, 1965
Lance Alworth is a player that most football fans have heard of, but they don’t understand the actual impact he had on the team. In 1965, he was probably the most efficient wide receiver in history. He had 1,600 yards on just 69 catches in 14 games. That accounts for 114 yards per game and a ridiculous 23 yards per reception.
Alworth helped lead the San Diego Chargers to one of its best seasons ever. The Chargers led the league in points scored, and their passing numbers were off the charts. The team was the AFL West champion thanks to the dominant season of Alworth.
Not only were the Chargers a dominant offensive team, but they did it through the air which was highly unusual at the time. Alworth was clearly the top receiver in the league, but it was by how much that made him worthy of the MVP. Alworth had 1,100 yards more than the next leading receiver on the team. That kind of dominance and the fact it led directly to wins for the Chargers is why that Alworth deserves the MVP.
Alworth had more than half of his team’s receiving touchdowns. He accounted for 14 touchdowns, also a league-leading number. Alworth was one of the most dominant receivers of all time, and it came during an era when this was highly unusual.