30 years ago, in a much much different sporting landscape, something happened in the NFL that never happened before and will never happen again.  A man by the name of Mark Moseley won the NFL MVP. Not only is he the only future Director of Franchising for Five Guys to win the MVP, he is the only kicker in NFL history to win MVP.  Yup, I said kicker.  You know, that position you have to fill in at the end of the fantasy football draft just because some Nancy back in the beginning decided a guy on the field less than 10 snaps a game should determine your fantasy football highs and lows.  A kicker, just like the one that blew the game for the Patriots today.  Last season David Akers set the record for most field goals kicked in a single season, with a number nobody cares about because it was set by a kicker.  Earlier this year, the very same guy kicked a 63 yard field goal, to tie the longest ever kicked…and it wasn’t even a top 10 play of the week.  But just 30 short years ago, a kicker won NFL MVP.

1982 was a strike shortened season of only 9 games, Moseley was 20/21 with a grand total of zero coming from greater than 50 yards.  In just 9 games Dan Fouts threw for over 2,800 yards and amassed 17 touchdown passes while averaging over 320 passing yards per game.  Marcus Allen had double digit rushing touchdowns, and Tony Dorsett lives in infamy as this was the season he broke a 99 yard touchdown run.  Wes Chandler in San Diego caught for over 1,000 yards and 9 touchdowns.  These were all on pace to have seasons worthy of MVP consideration in today’s NFL, much less back in 1982.

Instead a man that had a 95% field goal rate, best in the league by almost 4%, got the MVP.  And don’t try to add a perfect PAT, since he wasn’t even in the top 10 in PAT attempts or makes that season.  Moseley was a member of the Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins that year, but in a single game scenario, where a kicker could arguably be considered MVP, John Riggins took home the Super Bowl MVP award.  So, the next time you belly up for some burgers and fries at your friendly neighborhood Five Guys, go ahead, tell the story about the companies Director of Franchising, the most unlikely MVP in sports history.