Of all the major sports that award a Most Valuable Player award, the NFL is the least imaginative. Outside of Lawrence Taylor and Alan Page, only offensive players have achieved MVP honors. Furthermore, the award is typically given out to whichever quarterback appears to have had the best season, both statistically and in terms of team success. Despite this, there is no official criteria for this award, and is up for interpretation. Though it may sound ridiculous, there is a compelling case to be made that Jimmy Garoppolo should be the 2017 NFL Most Valuable Player.
Jimmy Garoppolo is the MVP
The Criteria
With no set criteria for the award, a voter could interpret how the award should be given in many different ways. There are two main schools of thought. The first is to give the award to whoever had the best statistical season. This is easier to judge as the NFL is full of many insightful statistics. The second school of thought is to give the award to whichever player had the biggest impact on their team’s success, putting an emphasis on “valuable.”
Last year, there was a heated debate in the NBA as to who should win the MVP. Russell Westbrook averaged a triple double, a feat accomplished only one other time in NBA history. James Harden, however, averaged more points and assists than Westbrook, and did it on a team with lesser role players. Like the NFL, there is no set criteria for the award, and much was left up to the voters to decide how they would vote. Both were deserving, but one would go home empty handed.
The biggest difference between the NFL MVP and the NBA MVP, however, is the other awards given out. The NFL also recognizes the Offensive Player of the Year. The purpose of this award is to recognize the most outstanding offensive player. If the NBA had this award, then voters could easily vote Westbrook the Most Outstanding, and Harden the Most Valuable. Since this award falls into the first school of thought, it appears as though the NFL MVP award should be interpreted with the second school of thought. Therefore, the Most Valuable Player should be the player who has the biggest positive impact on his team.
Garoppolo’s Value
There has been no other player who has had as big of an impact as Garoppolo. When he was acquired via a mid-season trade with the New England Patriots, Garoppolo joined one of the worst teams in football. In games started by Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard, the San Francisco 49ers had one win to go with 10 losses. When Garoppolo finally got to start, he excelled, winning each of the five games he started. With no other significant roster changes at that time, it is safe to say almost all of the credit for that turnaround is due to Garoppolo’s impact.
Another element to consider is the 49er’s personnel. Garoppolo was not surrounded by great talent. Pierre Garçon’s injury meant that Garoppolo’s best wide receiver threats were Marquise Goodwin, a player in his first year as a full-time starter, and Trent Taylor, an undersized rookie. Goodwin’s play was elevated by Garoppolo. Before Garoppolo, Goodwin was averaging 2.5 catches and 52.5 yards per game. With Garoppolo, Goodwin’s numbers jumped to 5.8 catches and 76.8 yards per game. Garoppolo had a huge impact on his team.
Garoppolo also has the personal numbers to back up the team’s success. He threw for 1250 yards in his first four starts with the 49ers, breaking Kurt Warner’s 1999 record for most yards in the first four starts with a team. It is important to note that Warner won the MVP that season. Garoppolo’s 8.76 yards per attempt would be the best mark in the league if he had played enough games to qualify. Matt Ryan had the best yards per attempt last year in his MVP season. All of Garoppolo’s success came in a short period of time, but he was the brightest star during his short run.
The Competition
There are several deserving candidates that Garoppolo would have to edge out. The MVP appeared to be headed to Carson Wentz before he suffered a season ending injury. Wentz was having a stellar season, and had the Philadelphia Eagles positioned to obtain the top seed in the NFC. His injury, however, illuminated that he is not as valuable as once thought. The Eagles managed to hold on to the top seed, and won a playoff game against a dangerous Atlanta Falcons team. The Eagles continued success without Wentz suggests he does not have as big of an impact as Garoppolo.
Another top candidate for MVP is Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams. Gurley was a monster for the Rams, finishing the year with 2,093 combined rushing and receiving yards. Despite the monster season, there has been a league wide devaluation of the running back position. According to one report, it is the 10th most important position out of 17 positions. While Gurley is an outlier, the impact he can have on a team is less than what a quarterback like Garoppolo can have.
The most obvious MVP candidate is Garoppolo’s former teammate Tom Brady. Brady has had another amazing season to back up his claim as the best quarterback of all time. Despite this, Brady is not the most valuable player because of the fact that he plays for the Patriots. Last season, the Patriots went 3-1 while Brady was suspended. Two of those wins were the direct result of Garoppolo, but the other win was with rookie Jacoby Brissett. This four-game window proved that the Patriots could win without Brady, while the 49ers could not win without Garoppolo.
Conclusion
It is truly a ridiculous claim that Garoppolo should win the MVP. He played in less than half the season, and would have to continue his success over a full year to have any shot at bringing home such honors. Despite this, there is a compelling case to be made. No other player was directly responsible for such a dramatic turnaround for his team. While there are other great candidates, all have flaws that make Garoppolo a more appealing candidate. The MVP voters should shock the world, and anoint Jimmy Garoppolo the next Most Valuable Player.
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