clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Steelers WR Antonio Brown finished 2nd in 2015 NFL OPoY voting

There has never been a wide receiver voted as the NFL's league MVP, but Antonio Brown was given his due by finishing second in MVP voting this year.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Most Valuable Player award is a quarterback or running back award, if you are honest with yourself. In fact, there have only been 3 players who aren't one of those two positions who have won league MVP since the award started in 1957. The most recent was in 1986 when Lawrence Taylor won the MVP as a linebacker/defensive end.

No wide receiver has ever won the award, and that is likely due to the fact most people give the person throwing the football more credit than those who are catching it. Nonetheless, it should be noted how despite Cam Newton winning the 2015 MVP award, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown finished second in the voting for Offensive Player of the Year.

Brown received 10 total votes for OPoY, something which shouldn't come as a shock to anyone considering several head coaches, including Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak and Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, publicly stated Brown could be the league's very best player.

When you look at Brown's astounding 2015 season, it is difficult to fathom just how incredible his numbers could have been if Ben Roethlisberger hadn't been injured for a total of 4 games throughout the season. His 136 receptions, 1,834 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns were remarkable, but looking at games without Roethlisberger, Brown averaged just 58 yards receiving in those games, makes you wonder how many receiving records would have fallen this past year.

The dynamic duo of Roethlisberger and Brown will be back at it again in 2016, and if the duo can stay healthy there is no doubt Brown, and Roethlisberger for that matter, could insert their names into OPoY discussions again.