Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Thought I'd take a whack at this, at least for the time period from which I almost know what I'm talking about. It reminded me that even truly wretched teams almost always have one or two superior players.

1960: Jim Doran (Cowboys)
1961: Dick James (Redskins)
1962: Jim Otto (Raiders)
1963: Tommy Davis (49ers)
1964: Willie Brown (Broncos)
1965: Gary Ballman (Steelers)
1966: Spider Lockhart (Giants)
1967: Tommy Nobis (Falcons)
1968: Butch Byrd (Bills)
1969: Gale Sayers (Bears)/Roy Jefferson (Steelers)
1970: Jim Nance (Patriots)
1971: Marlin Briscoe (Bills)
1972: Elvin Bethea (Oilers)
1973: Fred Willis (Oilers)
1974: Lydell Mitchell (Colts)/Joe Dawkins (Giants)
1975: Russ Washington (Chargers)/Tom Myers (Saints)
1976: Morris Owens (Buccaneers)
1977: Gary Barbaro (Chiefs)/Lee Roy Selmon (Buccaneers)
1978: Freddie Solomon (49ers)
1979: Steve DeBerg (49ers)/Al Baker (Lions)
1980: Archie Manning (Saints)
1981: John Hannah (Patriots)
1982: Rohn Stark (Colts)
1983: Earl Campbell (Oilers)/Hugh Green (Buccaneers)
1984: Greg Bell (Bills)
1985: Bruce Smith (Bills)/James Wilder (Buccaneers)
1986: Calvin Magee (Buccaneers)
1987: Gerald Riggs (Falcons)
1988: Herschel Walker (Cowboys)
1989: Jim Jeffcoat (Cowboys)
1990: Bruce Armstrong (Patriots)
1991: Bill Brooks (Colts)
1992: Marv Cook (Patriots)/Cortez Kennedy (Seahawks)
1993: Lee Johnson (Bengals)
1994: Bruce Matthews (Oilers)
1995: Adrian Murrell (Jets)
1996: Adrian Murrell (Jets)
1997: Marshall Faulk (Colts)
1998: Marshall Faulk (Colts)/Hugh Douglas (Eagles)/Corey Dillon (Bengals)
1999: Chris Gardocki (Browns)

The Anti-MVP.

I remember Adrian Murrell. Had very good combination of quickness and power. Good vision and always fought for every last yard. Was buried a bit behind Johnny Johnson, Brad Baxter, B. Thomas (fading) in 1993/94 under Coslet and Carroll. Finally broke out in 1995 on a bad team and put up a great effort in 1996 on an even worse team somehow (which had talent) Parcells never seemed to like him though...not one of his guys. A few fumbles got him in Parcells doghouse and Curtis Martin was brought in for 1998. Initially I didn't like it as our guy, and original Jet was being discarded for him.

Strangely Parcells reacquired him in Dallas towards the very tail end of his career

As bad as the 1999 Browns were I'd still go with Kevin Johnson as their best player over a punter